TIRES
11
Fuel Economy
Underinflated tires will increase tire rolling resistance resulting in
hi
gher fuel consumption.
Tread Wear
Improper cold tire inflation pressures can cause abnormal wear
pa
tterns and reduced tread life, resulting in the need for earlier tire
replacement.
Ride Comfort And Vehicle Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfortable ride. Overinflation
pr
oduces a jarring and uncomfortable ride.
Tire Inflation Pressures
The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed on the driver side
B-
pillar or rear edge of the driver side door.
At least once a month:
• Check and adjust tire pressure with a good quality pocket-type
p
ressure gauge. Do not make a visual judgement when determining
proper inflation. Tires may look properly inflated even when they
are under-inflated.
• Inspect tires for signs of tire wear or visible damage.
I
nflation pressures specified on the placard are always “cold tire
in
flation pressure”. Cold tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire
pressure after the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours,
or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) after sitting for a minimum of three
ho
urs. The cold tire inflation pressure must not exceed the maximum
inflation pressure molded into the tire sidewall.
Check tire pressures more often if subject to a wide range of outdoor
te
mperatures, as tire pressures vary with temperature changes.
Tire pressures change by approximately 1 psi (7 kPa) per 12°F (7°C) of
ai
r temperature change. Keep this in mind when checking tire
pressure inside a garage, especially in the Winter. CAUTION!
After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure, always reinstall the
va
lve stem cap. This will prevent moisture and dirt from entering
the valve stem, which could damage the valve stem.
TIRES
17
Tire Types
All Season Tires — If Equipped
All season tires provide traction for all seasons (Spring, Summer,
Au
tumn, and Winter). Traction levels may vary between different all
season tires. All season tires can be identified by the M+S, M&S, M/S
or MS designation on the tire sidewall. Use all season tires only in sets
of four; failure to do so may adversely affect the safety and handling
of your vehicle.
Summer Or Three Season Tires — If Equipped
Summer tires provide traction in both wet and dry conditions, and are
no
t intended to be driven in snow or on ice. If your vehicle is equipped
with summer tires, be aware these tires are not designed for winter or
cold driving conditions. Install winter tires on your vehicle when
ambient temperatures are less than 40°F (5°C) or if roads are covered
with ice or snow. For more information, contact an authorized dealer.
Summer tires do not contain the all season designation or mountain/
sn
owflake symbol on the tire sidewall. Use summer tires only in sets
of four; failure to do so may adversely affect the safety and handling
of your vehicle.
Snow Tires
Some areas of the country require the use of snow tires during the
w i
nter. Snow tires can be identified by a “mountain/snowflake”
symbol on the tire sidewall.
If you need snow tires, select tires equivalent in size and
type to the original equipment tires. Use snow tires only
in
sets of four; failure to do so may adversely affect the
safety and handling of your vehicle.
Snow tires generally have lower speed ratings than
wh
at was originally equipped with your vehicle and
should not be operated at sustained speeds over 75 mph (120 km/h).
WARNING!
Do not use Summer tires in snow/ice conditions. You could lose
ve
hicle control, resulting in severe injury or death. Driving too
fast for conditions also creates the possibility of loss of vehicle
control.
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®
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®
64
vehicles have specific recommendations regarding Winter tire use;
consult your vehicle Owner’s Manual and tire information placard.
• If Winter tires are to be applied to the front axle of any vehicle, they
m
ust also be applied to the rear axle for safe operation. This applies
to all passenger cars and light trucks, including Front Wheel Drive
(FWD), Four Wheel Drive (4WD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) vehi -
cles.
• If Winter tires are to be applied to the rear axle of any vehicle, it is
r
ecommended that they also be installed on the front axle.
• It is generally acceptable to apply a tire with a lower speed rating
t
han your original tires for use in Winter weather conditions;
however, speed should be reduced accordingly. All Winter tires
should be the same speed rating. See “Tire Speed Ratings” in this
manual.
• Winter tires used in warmer, Summer weather conditions may wear
m
ore rapidly.
• Studded Winter tires follow the same recommendations as above;
c
onsult a qualified tire service professional for information
regarding any seasonal restrictions.
TIRE MIXING
HIGH SPEED DRIVING
• R egardless of the speed and handling capabilities of your car and its
t
ires, a loss of vehicle control can result from exceeding the
maximum speed allowed by law or warranted by traffic, weather,
vehicle, or road conditions.
WARNING!
Driving your vehicle with an improper mix of tires is dangerous.
Yo
ur vehicle’s handling characteristics can be seriously affected.
You could have an accident resulting in serious personal injury or
death. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual and a qualified tire
service professional for proper tire replacement.
WARNING!
Driving at high speed is dangerous and can cause a vehicle
ac
cident, including serious personal injury or death.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
65
• High-speed driving should be left to trained professionals operating
under controlled conditions.
• No tire, regardless of its design or speed rating, has unlimited
c
apacity for speed, and a sudden tire failure can occur if its limits are
exceeded. See “Tire Speed Ratings,” the next section in this manual.
Refer to your vehicle Owner’s Manual for any tire pressure
re
commendations for high speed driving.
TIRE SPEED RATINGS
A tire bearing a letter “speed rating” designation indicates the tire’s
sp
eed capability according to standardized laboratory tests. This
speed rating system is intended to permit comparison of the speed
capabilities of different tires. When replacing your tires, consult your
vehicle Owner’s Manual and tire information placard for
recommendations, if any, concerning the use of speed rated tires.
• To avoid reducing the speed capability of the vehicle, replace a
s
peed rated tire only with another tire having at least the same
speed rating. It is the “top speed” of the “slowest” tire on the vehicle
which limits the vehicle’s top speed without tire failure.
• The tire’s speed rating is void if the tire is repaired, retreaded,
d
amaged, abused, or otherwise altered from its original condition.
Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed rated tire.
• Non-speed rated tires are usually for ordinary passenger car or light
t
ruck service and not for high speed driving.
• For winter tires used in cold weather conditions, it is generally
a
cceptable to apply a tire with a lower speed rating than your orig -
inal tires; however, speed should be reduced accordingly. All winter
ti
res should be the same speed rating. Some vehicles have specific
recommendations regarding winter tire use; consult your vehicle
Owner’s Manual and tire information placard. See “Winter Tires” in
this manual.
These speed ratings are based on standardized laboratory tests under
sp
ecific, controlled conditions. While these tests may relate to
performance on the road, real-world driving is rarely identical to any
test conditions. Your tire’s actual speed capability may be less than its
rated speed since it is affected by factors such as inflation pressure,
load, tire condition (including damage), wear, vehicle condition
FALKEN TIRE CORPORATION
99
TIRE SPEED RATINGS
Falken recommends replacing your tire(s) with the same speed rating
as
the original tires equipped on your vehicle.
It is okay to use a lower speed rated tire when using Winter tires.
Ho
wever, speeds should be reduced to match the tires new
“maximum” speed capability.
Any tire that is repaired, damaged, abused, altered from its original
st
ate or retreaded voids the speed rating on that particular tire and
should be considered a non-speed rated tire.
HIGH PERFORMANCE, LOW ASPECT RATIO TIRES
Various new vehicles come equipped with high performance and/or
lo
w aspect ratio tires from the factory. These tires generally provide
increased vehicle handling characteristics, but may also have
engineering performance trade-offs related with their designs. Low
aspect ratio tires have reduced sidewall heights and may be more
vulnerable to damage from road hazards, potholes, and other objects,
like curbs. Your vehicle’s wheels are susceptible to these same dangers
as well. Some vehicles may be originally equipped with high
performance tires that are designed for warmer weather use reducing
traction in colder, winter weather conditions. High performance tires
also pose the possibility of wearing more quickly, giving a stiffer ride,
and producing louder noise than standard all-season tires during
operation. Refer to your vehicle Owner’s Manual, tire information
placard, or qualified tire service professional for more information
about these kinds of tires.
WINTER TIRES
Falken recommends all four tires be replaced when replacing your
o r
iginal equipment tires and installing winter tires for the winter months.
WARNING!
Falken does not recommend the use of mixing different speed
ra
tings on a vehicle. This can cause poor handling and
unpredictable steering.
WARNING!
Never use just two winter tires. It could lead to adverse handling,
lo
ss of control, which could cause serious injury or death.
GOODYEAR® DUNLOP® TIRES
123
• Temporary spare tires used on vehicles used in racing and on
passenger cars in special applications such as police pursuit service.
• Goodyear® Unisteel® Commercial Radial Light Truck Tires.
•
Tires removed from service due to improper repairs.
•
Tires supplied as Original Equipment are not eligible for any tread
l
ife warranty consideration.
• Cosmetic weather checking
•
Low Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) – refer to vehicle
m
anufacturer’s warranty.
• Ultra High-Performance summer tires are not recommended for
w
inter use, and tread or shoulder cracking on those tires resulting
from winter use will not be covered under our warranty.
WHAT ARE YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS?
No Representative or dealer has authority to make any representation,
pr
omise or agreement on behalf of Goodyear®, except as stated
herein. Any tire, no matter how well constructed, may fail in service
or otherwise become unserviceable due to conditions beyond the
control of the manufacturer. Under no circumstances is this warranty
a representation that a tire failure cannot occur.
DISCLAIMER: THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF, AND
GO
ODYEAR® HEREBY DISCLAIMS, ANY AND ALL OTHER
WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, AND NO OTHER WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION
OF ANY KIND IS MADE BY GOODYEAR® OR SHALL BE IMPLIED
BY LAW.
LIMITATION OF DAMAGES: IN NO EVENT AND UNDER NO
CI
RCUMSTANCE SHALL GOODYEAR® BE LIABLE TO THE
BUYER FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOST PROFIT, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF
GOODWILL OR REPUTATION, PUNITIVE OR OTHER DAMAGE,
COST (INCLUDING FOR REPLACEMENT TRANSPORTATION),
EXPENSE OR LOSS OF ANY KIND. SOME STATES AND
PROVINCES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION
OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE
ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.