Maintenance
9-30
WARNING
Tire failure may cause loss of
vehicle control resulting in an
accident. To reduce risk of SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH, take the
following precautions:
• Inspect your tires monthly for
proper inflation as well as wear
and damage.
• The recommended cold tire
pressure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and on the
tire label located on the driver’s
side center pillar. Always use a
tire pressure gauge to measure
tire pressure. Tires with too
much or too little pressure wear
unevenly causing poor handling.
• Check the pressure of the
spare every time you check the
pressure of the other tires on
your vehicle.
• Replace tires that are worn, show
uneven wear, or are damaged.
Worn tires can cause loss of
braking effectiveness, steering
control, or traction.
• ALWAYS replace tires with the
same size, type, construction and
tread pattern as each tire that
was originally supplied with this
vehicle. Using tires and wheels
other than the recommended
sizes could cause unusual
handling characteristics, poor
vehicle control, or negatively
affect your vehicle’s Anti-Lock
Brake System (ABS) resulting in a
serious accident.
Tire Care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended
tire inflation pressures and stay
within the load limits and weight
distribution recommended for your
vehicle.
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All specifications (sizes and
pressures) can be found on a label
attached to the driver’s side center
pillar.
Recommended Cold Tire
Inflation Pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked when the
tires are cold. “Cold tires” means the
vehicle has not been driven for at
least three hours or driven less than
one mile (1.6 km).
Warm tires normally exceed
recommended cold tire pressures
by 28 to 4 to 6 psi (28 to 41 kPa). Do
not release air from warm tires to
adjust the pressure or the tires will
be under-inflated. For recommended
inflation pressure, refer to “Tire and
Wheels” section in chapter 2.
TIRES AND WHEELS
09
9-31
WARNING
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, vehicle
handling, and minimum tire wear.
Over-inflation or under-inflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and lead to
sudden tire failure that could result
in loss of vehicle control resulting in
an accident.
Severe under-inflation can lead
to severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result in
the loss of vehicle control resulting
in an accident. This risk is much
higher on hot days and when
driving for long periods at high
speeds.
CAUTION
• Under-inflation results in
excessive wear, poor handling
and reduced fuel economy.
Wheel deformation is also
possible. Keep your tire pressures
at the proper levels. If a tire
frequently needs refilling, have it
checked by an authorized retailer
of Genesis Branded products.
• Over-inflation produces a harsh
ride, excessive wear at the center
of the tire tread, and a greater
possibility of damage from road
hazards.
Check Tire Inflation Pressure
Check your tires, including the spare
tire, once a month or more.
How to check
Use a good quality tire pressure
gauge to check tire pressure. You
can not tell if your tires are properly
inflated simply by looking at them.
Radial tires may look properly
inflated when they are under-
inflated.
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gauge
firmly onto the valve to get a
pressure measurement. If the cold
tire inflation pressure matches the
recommended pressure on the tire
and loading information label, no
further adjustment is necessary. If
the pressure is low, add air until you
reach the recommended pressure.
Make sure to put the valve caps
back on the valve stems. Without
the valve cap, dirt or moisture could
get into the valve core and cause
air leakage. If a valve cap is missing,
install a new one as soon as possible.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gauge. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. Without the valve
cap, dirt or moisture could get into
the valve core and cause air leakage.
If a valve cap is missing, install a new
one as soon as possible.
Maintenance
9-32
Tire Rotation
To equalize tread wear, Genesis
Branded Vehicle recommends that
the tires be rotated according to the
maintenance schedule or sooner if
irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for
uneven wear and damage. Abnormal
wear is usually caused by incorrect
tire pressure, improper wheel
alignment, out-of-balance wheels,
severe braking or severe cornering.
Look for bumps or bulges in the
tread or side of the tire. Replace
the tire if you find any of these
conditions. Replace the tire if fabric
or cord is visible. After rotation, be
sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
wheel bolt tightness (proper torque
is 101~116 lbf.ft [14~16 kgf.m]).
OHI078078OHI078078
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.
Information
The outside and inside of the
unsymmetrical tire is distinguishable.
When installing an unsymmetrical
tire, be sure to install the side marked
“outside” face the outside. If the side
marked “inside” is installed on the
outside, it will have a negative effect
on vehicle performance.
WARNING
• Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation.
• Do not mix bias ply and radial ply
tires under any circumstances.
This may cause unusual handling
characteristics that may cause
loss of vehicle control resulting in
an accident.
09
9-33
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire
life and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
NOTICE
Incorrect wheel weights can
damage your vehicle’s aluminum
wheels. Use only approved wheel
weights.
Tire Replacement
Tread wear indicatorTread wear indicator
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If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before
replacing the tire.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of DEATH or
SERIOUS INJURY:
• Replace tires that are worn, show
uneven wear, or are damaged.
Worn tires can cause loss of
braking effectiveness, steering
control, and traction.
• Always replace tires with the
same size as each tire that was
originally supplied with this
vehicle. Using tires and wheels
other than the recommended
sizes could cause unusual
handling characteristics, poor
vehicle control, or negatively
affect your vehicle’s Anti-Lock
Brake System (ABS) resulting in a
serious accident.
• When replacing tires (or wheels),
it is recommended to replace
the two front or two rear tires (or
wheels) as a pair. Replacing just
one tire can seriously affect your
vehicle’s handling.
• Tires degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, Genesis Branded Vehicle
recommends that tires be
replaced after six (6) years of
normal service.
• Heat caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading conditions
can accelerate the aging process.
Failure to follow this warning
may cause sudden tire failure,
which could lead to a loss of
vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
Maintenance
9-34
Compact spare tire replacement
(if equipped)
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.
The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new vehicle and should be mounted
on the same compact spare tire
wheel. The compact spare tire is
not designed to be mounted on a
regular size wheel, and the compact
spare tire wheel is not designed for
mounting a regular size tire.
WARNING
The original tire should be repaired
or replaced as soon as possible to
avoid failure of the spare and loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident. The compact spare tire
is for emergency use only. Do not
operate your vehicle over 50 mph
(80 km/h) when using the compact
spare tire.
Wheel Replacement
When replacing the metal wheels
for any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim width
and offset.
Tire Traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. To reduce the possibility of
losing control, slow down whenever
there is rain, snow or ice on the road.
Tire Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
When you have new tires installed,
make sure they are balanced. This
will increase vehicle ride comfort
and tire life. Additionally, a tire
should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel.
09
9-37
6. Maximum permissible inflation
pressure
This number is the greatest amount
of air pressure that should be put in
the tire. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tire and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.
7. Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and pounds that
can be carried by the tire. When
replacing the tires on the vehicle,
always use a tire that has the same
load rating as the factory installed
tire.
8. Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE ATr e a d w e a r
The tread wear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one-and-a-half times (1½) as
well on the government course as a
tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
These grades are molded on the
sidewalls of passenger vehicle tires.
The tires available as standard or
optional equipment on your vehicle
may vary with respect to grade.
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight ahead
braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Maintenance
9-38
Temperature - A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C representing the
tire’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. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required
by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
under-inflation, over-inflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or in combination, can cause heat
build-up and possible sudden
tire failure. This may cause loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
Tire Terminology and Definitions
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire
pressing outward on the tire. Air
pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory weight
This means the combined weight
of optional accessories. Some
examples of optional accessories
are automatic transmission, power
seats, and air conditioning.
Aspect ratio
The relationship of a tire’s height to
its width.
Belt
A rubber coated layer of cords that
is located between the plies and the
tread. Cords may be made from steel
or other reinforcing materials.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires
wrapped by steel cords that hold the
tire onto the rim.
Maintenance
9-42
Snow Tires
If you equip your car with snow
tires, they should be the same size
and have the same load capacity as
the original tires. Snow tires should
be installed on all four wheels;
otherwise, poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 4 psi (28 kPa)
more air pressure than the pressure
recommended for the standard
tires on the tire label on the driver’s
side of the center pillar, or up to the
maximum pressure shown on the tire
sidewall, whichever is less. Do not
drive faster than 75 mph (120 km/h)
when your vehicle is equipped with
snow tires.
Radial-Ply Tires
Radial-ply tires provide improved
tread life, road hazard resistance
and smoother high speed ride. The
radial-ply tires used on this vehicle
are of belted construction, and are
selected to complement the ride
and handling characteristics of
your vehicle. Radial-ply tires have
the same load carrying capacity,
as bias-ply or bias belted tires of
the same size, and use the same
recommended inflation pressure.
Mixing of radial-ply tires with
bias-ply or bias belted tires is not
recommended. Any combinations of
radial-ply and bias-ply or bias belted
tires when used on the same vehicle
will seriously deteriorate vehicle
handling. The best rule to follow
is: Identical pairs of radial-ply tires
should always be used as a set for
the front tires and a set for the rear
tires.Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear.
It is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval in this chapter to
achieve the tread life potential of
these tires. Cuts and punctures in
radial-ply tires are repairable only in
the tread area, because of sidewall
flexing. Consult your tire dealer for
radial-ply tire repairs.
WARNING
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply
tires under any circumstances.
This may cause unusual handling
characteristics that may cause loss
of vehicle control resulting in an
accident.