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Refer to the tyre
information plate on the vehicle (check
vehicle and/or vehicle owners manual for
plate location) for the recommended operating
pressures. These pressures must be maintained
as a minimum. Do not exceed the maximum
pressure indicated on the tyre sidewall
of passenger car tyres.
If
you are replacing the original size tyres
with tyres of a different size, you must
consult a knowledgeable dealer to determine
the correct inflation pressure for your
new tyres.
Check tyre inflation
pressures
Failure to maintain correct inflation
may cause rapid and irregular tyre wear,
sudden tyre destruction and may result in
loss of vehicle control and serious personal
injury. Therefore, inflation pressures should
be checked at least once a month and always
prior to long distance trips. Any tyre is
susceptible to losing air pressure if not
properly maintained.
Pressures should be checked
when tyres are cold; in other words, before
they have been driven on. Driving, even
for a short distance, causes tyres to heat
up and air pressure to increase. Tyres run
even short distances while severely under-inflated
may be damaged beyond repair.
High speed driving can
be dangerous.
Remember that at high speeds, even with
the correct inflation pressures, a road
hazard is more difficult to avoid and if
contact is made, has a greater chance of
causing tyre damage than at a lower speed.
Moreover, driving at high speed reduces
the reaction time available to avoid accidents
and bring your vehicle to a safe stop.
Driving on a damaged
tyre or wheel can be dangerous.
Always look for bulges, cracks, cuts,
splits, penetrations, and abnormal tread
wear. Damage can occur within the tyre body
without being visible on the outside. A
vibration or ride disturbance may be a sign
of tyre damage.
If you see any damage to
your tyres or wheels, replace with spare
at once and immediately have the damaged
tyre professionally inspected.
If while driving, you notice
a vibration or ride disturbance, and/or
you suspect possible damage to the tyres
or vehicle: immediately reduce your speed,
drive with caution until you can safely
pull off the road, stop, and inspect the
tyres. If a tyre is damaged, deflate it,
remove it from the vehicle, and replace
the tyre and wheel with your spare. If you
do not see any tyre damage and cannot otherwise
determine the source of the vibration, have
the vehicle towed to the nearest vehicle
or tyre dealer for a thorough inspection.
These conditions may be
caused by misalignment, under inflation,
overloading, impact damage, and/or a separation
within the tyre body. Use of a damaged tyre
could result in sudden tyre destruction.
When inspecting your tyres,
including the spare, check your air pressures.
If your pressure check indicates that one
of your tyres has lost pressure of two pounds
or more, look for signs of penetrations,
valve leakage, or wheel damage that may
account for the air loss.
All tyres will wear out
faster when subjected to high speeds as
well as hard cornering, rapid starts, sudden
stops, frequent driving on roads which are
in poor condition, and off road use. Roads
with holes, rocks or other objects can damage
tyres and cause misalignment of your vehicle.
When you drive on such roads, drive on them
carefully and slowly, and before driving
at normal or motorway speeds, examine your
tyres for any damage, such as cuts or penetrations.
Worn out tyres are dangerous.
Tyres contain "Wear-Bars" in the grooves
of the tyre tread which show up when only
1.6mm of tread remains. At this stage, your
tyres must be replaced. Tyres worn beyond
this stage are dangerous.
Do not overload your
tyres.
The maximum load rating of your tyres is
marked on the tyre sidewall. Do not exceed
these ratings. Tyres which are loaded beyond
their maximum allowable loads for the particular
application will build up excessive heat
that may result in sudden tyre destruction.
Do not exceed the gross
axle weight ratings for any axle on your
vehicle. Consult the vehicle manufacturers
plate and/or vehicle owners manual to determine
the gross axle weight rating. Following
the loading instructions of the vehicle
manufacturer should insure that your tyres
are not overloaded.
If you are replacing the
original size tyres with tyres of a different
size, the replacement tyres must have a
load carrying capacity equal to or greater
than the original equipment tyres.
Towing a trailer.
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you
should see your tyre dealer for advice concerning
the correct size of tyre and inflation pressures.
Tyre size and air pressure depend upon the
type and size of trailer and hitch utilized,
but never exceed the maximum cold inflation
pressure or the maximum tyre load rating.
The only sure way to prevent overload is
to weigh, axle by axle, the fully-loaded
vehicle on a reliable platform scale. Check
the tyre plate on the vehicle and the owners
manual supplied by the manufacturer of your
vehicle for further recommendations on trailer
towing.
Wheel alignment and
balancing
Inspect your tyres regularly: at least
once a month inspect your tyres closely
for signs of uneven wear.
Uneven wear patterns may
be caused by improper inflation pressure,
misalignment, improper balance or suspension
neglect. If not corrected, further tyre
damage will occur. These conditions shorten
the life of your tyres and may result in
loss of vehicle control and serious personal
injury.
If any of these conditions
exist, the cause may often be corrected
at your tyre dealer or other service facility.
Your tyres will then last longer.
Proper tyre rotation
is important.
If you notice irregular or uneven tread
wear, the tyres should be rotated to alleviate
the problem. Remember: it is important to
check your tyres and wheels for signs of
possible damage and check your vehicle for
any mechanical problems and correct if necessary.
You should follow the rotation pattern or
procedure indicated in your limited warranty
and the vehicle owners manual. We recommend
you rotate tyres on front wheel drive vehicles
and/or all season tyres on any vehicle every
8,000 miles to equalize the rate of wear;
however, rotate your tyres earlier if signs
of irregular or uneven tyre wear arise,
and have the vehicle checked by a qualified
mechanic to determine the cause of the wear
condition. The first rotation is the most
important.
Sometimes front and rear
tyres on a vehicle use different inflation
pressures. After rotation, adjust individual
tyre air pressure to the figures recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer for the new
locations - front or rear - as shown on
the tyre plate on the vehicle.
Tyre mixing can be dangerous.
Most passenger tyres today are radial tyres.
For best performance, we recommend the same
size and type of tyre be used on all four
wheel positions unless the vehicle manufacturer
specified different sizes, front and rear,
as original equipment. Check the vehicle
plate. If only two radials are mounted with
two non-radials, the radials should be mounted
on the rear. If tyres of different types
are mixed on a vehicle in any configuration,
they should not be used for long periods
and speeds should be kept to a minimum.
Mixing or matching of tyres
on four-wheel drive vehicles requires special
precautions. Always check vehicle manufacturers'
manual for their recommendations.
Tyre alterations are
dangerous.
Do not perform any alteration on your tyres.
Alterations may prevent proper performance,
leading to tyre damage, which can result
in sudden tyre destruction. Tyres which
have been altered are excluded from warranty
coverage.
Repairs
If a tyre has sustained a puncture, have
the tyre removed and inspected internally
by a tyre dealer for any possible damage
that may have occurred.
Punctures in the tread
of passenger tyres which do not exceed 1/4-inch
(6mm) in diameter can be repaired by following
Rubber Manufacturers' Association (RMA)
recommended repair procedures. A plug by
itself or a patch by itself is an unacceptable
repair. The repair material used - for example,
a "combination patch and plug" repair -
must seal the inner liner and fill the injury
to be considered a permanent repair.
Never use a tube in a
tubeless tyre as a substitute for a proper
repair. If the tyre has a puncture in the
tread which exceeds 1/4-inch (6mm), any
puncture in the sidewall, or if more than
one radial cable per casing ply is damaged,
the tyre must be replaced.
Use care when storing
tyres.
When tyres are stored they should be stored
in a cool, dry place away from sources of
sunlight, heat and ozone such as hot pipes
and electric motors. Tyres should be stored
so there is no danger of water collecting
inside them. Be sure that surfaces on which
tyres are stored are clean and free from
grease, petrol or other substances which
could deteriorate the rubber. Tyres exposed
to these materials during storage or driving
may be weakened and subject to sudden failure.
Also, be sure to allow air to circulate
around all sides of the tyres, including
underneath, to prevent moisture damage.
When storing tyres flat
(one on top of the other), stack so that
tyres on the bottom retain their shape.
If storing tyres outdoors,
protect them with an opaque waterproof covering
and elevate them from the ground. Do not
store tyres on black asphalt, other heat-absorbent
surfaces, snow-covered ground or sand.
Driving on studded snow
tyres.
If studded tyres are installed on the front
of any vehicle, they must also be installed
on the rear.
The beginning of movement
and acceleration of any vehicle in snow,
ice and other adverse cold weather conditions
is highly dependent on the traction qualities
of the tyres on the driving axle. The controlled
handling and braking of a vehicle after
it is in motion in adverse weather conditions,
however, is highly dependent on the traction
of the rear tyres. Consequently, the rear
tyres of any vehicle must have equal or
higher traction capabilities than the front
tyres for safe vehicle operation.
Because of the higher traction
qualities of studded snow tyres under most
winter weather conditions, installation
of only two studded snow tyres on the front
of any vehicle (especially front wheel drive
vehicles) without two studded snow tyres
on the rear can cause adverse (unsafe) handling
characteristics. Consult tyre manufacturer
for correct stud size.
Tyre spinning is dangerous.
Excessive spinning can cause a tyre to "explode".
Avoid tyre spinning. The
centrifugal forces created by a rapidly
spinning tyre can cause an explosion by
tearing the tyre apart. These forces act
on the complete tyre structure, and can
be of such magnitude as to break beads as
well as rupturing the entire carcass.
When stuck on ice, snow,
mud, or wet grass, etc., the vehicle should
be rocked gently (alternately using forward
and reverse gears) with the least amount
of wheel spinning. DO NOT exceed 25 mph
as indicated on the speedometer. Never allow
anyone to stand near or directly ahead of
or behind the spinning tyre. Do not spin
if a drive wheel is off the ground. Serious
personal injury or death can result from
the explosion of a spinning tyre.
When replacing tyres
and/or wheels, always consult a professional
tyre fitter
Tyre mounting can be
dangerous and should be done only by
trained persons using proper tools and procedures.
Serious injury or death
may result from explosion of tyre/rim assembly
due to improper mounting. Always have your
dealer mount your tyres on rims.
Speed-rated tyres.
If the replacement tyre is not speed rated,
the speed capability of the vehicle is limited
by the speed capability of the replacement
tyre.
When replacing tyres,
consult the vehicle plate (normally located
on a door frame, door edge, or glove box
door) or the owner's manual for correct
size. If the tyres shown on the vehicle
plate do not have speed ratings, the appropriate
size tyre with any speed rating may be applied.
When the placard tyre
size contains a speed symbol, for example
P205/60HR15 or P205/60R15 90H, the replacement
tyre must have the same or higher speed
rating symbol if the speed capability of
the vehicle is to be maintained. If the
replacement tyre is not speed rated, the
speed capability of the vehicle is limited
by the speed capability of the replacement
tyre.
*U 200 km/h (124 mph) *H
210 km/h (130 mph) *V 240 km/h (149 mph)
*W 270 km/h (168 mph) *Y 300 km/h (186 mph)
* Based upon indoor wheel
tests conducted in accordance with the Procedure
for Load/Speed Performance Tests of the
Economic Commission for Europe (ECE-30).
** For tyres having a maximum speed capability
above 240km/h (149 mph), a "ZR" may appear
in the size designation.
Example:
Tyre Designation Maximum Speed
P275/40R17 93W 270 km/h (168 mph)
P275/40R17 93Y 300 km/h (186 mph)
P275/40ZR17 93W 270 km/h (168 mph)
P275/40ZR17 93Y 300 km/h (186 mph)
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