9-36
Maintenance
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
ORS091057
A : Tread wear indicator
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.
9-40
Maintenance
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 A
Tread wear
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.
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.
