BFGOODRICH® TIRES
36
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer’s Owner’s
Manual when mixing, matching or replacing tires on 4 Wheel Drive
(4WD) vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
BFGOODRICH® DOES NOT RECOMMEND MIXING SELF
SU
PPORTING STRUCTURE (SSS) TIRES WITH NON-SSS TIRES
OTHER THAN THE TEMPORARY USE OF THE SPARE TIRE.
WINTER DRIVING
Tires which meet the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
de
finition of snow tires are marked M/S, M&S. On such tires, this
designation is molded into the sidewall. Tires without this notation
are not recommended for winter driving.
While All-Season tires are designed to provide reliable
performance in some winter conditions, the use of four
wi
nter tires is recommended for optimum perfor -
mance. Tires designated for use in severe winter condi -
tions are marked on at least one sidewall with the letter
“M
” and “S” plus a pictograph of a mountain with a snowflake on it.
TIRE ROTATION AND REPLACEMENT
To obtain maximum tire wear, it may be necessary to rotate your tires.
Re
fer to your vehicle Owner’s Manual for instructions on tire rotation.
If you do not have an Owner‘s Manual for your vehicle, BFGoodrich®
recommends rotating your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000 to
12
,000 km).
Monthly inspection for tire wear is recommended. Your tires should
be
rotated at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before
6,000 miles (10,000 km). This is true for all vehicles.
When rotating tires with a directional tread pattern, observe the
ar
rows molded on the sidewall which show the direction the tire
should turn. Care must be taken to maintain the proper turning
direction.
Some Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) may not recognize
th
at a tire has been moved to a different position on your vehicle.
Make certain that your TPMS system is reset, if necessary, so as to
correctly identify the location of each tire on your vehicle. Refer to
your vehicle Owner’s Manual or your vehicle dealer.
Determine whether rotated tires require tire inflation adjustment as
fr
ont and rear position tire pressure may vary according to the vehicle
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
47
This chart shows you how underinflation can create an overload on
tires. Check your tire pressure every month to make sure it is up to
specification, especially before long trips or carrying extra weight.
Lower pressure increases heat. I
nfrared photography of tires tested at
high speed. Damaging heat increases as inflation pressure drops.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
62
TIRE MOUNTING AND OTHER SERVICING
This manual is not intended to provide proper training or service
pr
ocedures for tire mounting, demounting, balancing, rotation, or
repair. Please leave these tasks to qualified tire service
professionals. For your safety and that of others:
• Always stand well clear of any tire mounting operation. This is espe -
c
ially important when the service operator inflates the tire. If the tire
ha
s been improperly mounted, it may burst with explosive force
causing serious personal injury or death.
• Tires must match the width and diameter requirements of the
w
heels. For example, 16 inch diameter tires must only be mounted
to
16 inch diameter wheels. Radial tires must only be mounted to
wh
eels approved for radial tires.
• Wheels must be free of cracks, dents, chips, and rust. Tires must be
f
ree of bead damage, cuts, and punctures.
• Never inflate a tire beyond 40 psi (275 kPa) to seat the beads. Be
a
bsolutely certain beads are fully seated before adjusting inflation
pressure to the level recommended for vehicle operation.
• Never put flammable substances in tire/wheel assemblies at any
t
ime. Never put any flammable substance into a tire/wheel
assembly and attempt to ignite to seat the beads.
• Always stand well away from the work area when tires are being
s
pin balanced either on or off the vehicle.
WARNING!
Removing and replacing tires on wheels can be dangerous.
At
tempting to mount tires with improper tools or procedures may
result in a tire explosion causing serious personal injury or death.
This is only a job for a qualified tire service professional. Never
perform tire service procedures without proper training, tools,
and equipment.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
63
HIGH PERFORMANCE, LOW ASPECT RATIO TIRES
Many new vehicles come equipped from the factory with high
pe
rformance and/or low aspect ratio tires. Generally, these tires
provide increased vehicle handling capability, but may also have
numerous engineering performance trade-offs associated with their
designs.
• Low aspect ratio tires, with reduced sidewall height, may be more
s
usceptible to damage from potholes, road hazards, and other
objects such as curbs. This is true for the wheels as well. Therefore,
as with all other tires, it is important to drive with care and maintain
proper inflation pressure and load conditions. See “Tire Inflation
Pressure” and “Tire Damage, Inspection and Service Life” in this
manual.
• Some sports cars and other handling performance enhanced vehi -
c
les, including sedans and light trucks/SUVs, may be originally
eq
uipped with high performance tires that are more optimized for
warmer weather use. Colder, winter weather traction may be
reduced for these types of tires. Winter tires may be recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer for colder weather application. See
“Winter Tires,” the next section in this manual.
• High performance tires may also wear more quickly, ride more
f
irmly, and produce more noise during operation.
Consult your vehicle Owner’s Manual and tire information placard, or
a
qualified tire service professional, for more information and
specifics regarding these types of tires.
WINTER TIRES
In Winter driving conditions, vehicle control and safe operation under
b r
aking and cornering is especially dependent upon the rear tires. For
this reason, Winter tires are best applied to all wheel positions. Some
WARNING!
Winter driving presents special challenges for vehicle mobility.
Th
e use of winter tires (including studs and chains)—while
improving traction performance in snow and ice—requires special
care with regard to acceleration, braking, cornering, and speed. It
is important to drive with care, not only on snow and ice, but on
dry and wet roads as well.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
79
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
ti
re’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds
to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade is established for a tire that is properly
in
flated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and a possible tire failure.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
84
arbitration between you and it, according to the formal dispute
resolution procedures of the National Arbitration Forum, under the
Code of Procedure then in effect. This arbitration will be conducted as
a document hearing. If you request any procedures beyond a
document hearing, you will be responsible for all fees, including filing
and administrative fees, above and beyond the fees required for
document hearings.
The arbitration between you and Bridgestone® Firestone® North
Am
erican Tire, LLC shall not include any other customers, be
combined or consolidated in any fashion with arbitrations involving
other customers, or proceed in any form of class action in which the
claims of numerous customers are considered together. Any award of
the arbitrator(s) may be entered as a judgment in any court of
competent jurisdiction. The arbitrators will have no authority to
award punitive or other damages not measured by the prevailing
party’s actual damages, except as may be required by statute.
Information may be obtained and claims may be filed at any office of
the National Arbitration Forum or at P.O. Box 50191, Minneapolis,
MN 55405.
VEHICLE MANUFACTURER’S RECOMMENDED INFLATION
P R
ESSURE
CONTINENTAL TIRE
90
Owner must present new vehicle registration form or new vehicle
sales invoice indicating the date of purchase. Owner will be re -
quired to sign the CTA Limited Warranty Claim Form or dealer re -
placement sales receipt.
Owner is responsible for paying all applicable taxes charged by the
se
rvicing dealer and is also responsible for paying shipping, local
tire-disposal fees and parts or service regardless of mileage or
months of service. This includes payment for tire rotation, align -
ment, towing, road service, valve stems and tire repairs.
Owner is responsible for maintaining proper tire air pressure and
fo
r proper maintenance of the tire.
6. SAFETY WARNING:
I
gnoring any of the safety and information contained in this war -
ranty may result in tire failure, causing serious injury or death.
• Tire failure due to under inflation/overloading. Follow vehicle
o
wner’s manual or tire placard in vehicle for proper inflation and
loading.
• Explosion of tire/rim assembly due to improper tire mounting.
T
ire mounting / demounting can be dangerous. It should be
performed only by a trained tire specialist using proper tools and
procedures. Prior to tire mounting/demounting, the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) wall charts and manuals
should be read to obtain the proper procedures. The failure to
follow these procedures may result in faulty positioning of the
tire and/or rim, which may cause the assembly to burst with
force sufficient to cause injury or death.
• Tire failure due to damage.
Inspect your tires frequently for
scrapes, bulges, separations, cuts, snags and other damage from
road hazards. Damage from impact can occur to the inner
portions of your tire without being visible to the outside. If you
suspect a tire has been damaged from striking anything unusual
in the road, you must have the tire removed from the rim and
inspected both inside and out by a trained tire specialist. Air loss
or unusual tire wear can also be warning signs that a tire may
have internal damage. If you notice these conditions, have your
tire inspected by a trained individual.
• Tire failure due to excessive tire spinning.
Avoid tire spinning.
The centrifugal force generated by a free-spinning tire/rim
assembly may cause a sudden tire explosion resulting in vehicle
FALKEN TIRE CORPORATION
102
2. WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY
• Tires that becomes unserviceable due to road hazard damages
(
cuts, snags, punctures, bruises, impact breaks, etc.) improper
repair technique or materials, improper inflation, overload,
irregular wear, wheel imbalance, defective mechanical vehicle
components (brakes, suspension, wheels, etc.) improper suspen -
sion alignment, accident, fire, chemical damage, damage from
ch
ain use, racing, off-road use, run flat, improper installation,
vandalism, or abuse.
• Tires branded “NA” or a tire in which the DOT numbering has
b
een removed.
• Tires presented for a warranty claim by someone other than by
t
he original purchaser, or tires that were transferred to another
vehicle from the vehicle in which the tires were originally
installed.
• Tires having a failure or failures caused by a previous damages
o
r repairs.
• The cost of tire repair or retreading is not covered by this
w
arranty and will be the sole responsibility of the tire owner.
Possible NON Covered Reasons/Conditions due to:
Chipping/Chunking/Tearing Puncture
Corrosion/Wreck Racing or any Competition
Fire Repair Failure
Impact Break or Concussions Road Hazards
Improper Inflation Pressure Sidewall Cut or Damage
Improper Mounting/Dismount Theft or Vandalism
Mechanical Defects of the Vehicle Tread Cuts
Misalignment Wheel Imbalance
Misapplication Willful Abuse
Overloading