tires HYUNDAI TUCSON 2012 User Guide

545
Driving your vehicle
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glarefrom other driver's headlights.
Keep your headlights clean and prop- erly aimed. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night. Headlight operation when using windshield wipers is
mandatory in some states.
Avoid staring directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared for the slick pavement. Here are a
few things to consider when driving in the
rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder tosee and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
Keep your windshield wiping equip- ment in good shape. Replace your
windshield wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield. If your tires are not in good condition,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tires are in
good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it eas- ier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large puddles can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
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Driving your vehicle
46
5
Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to
specification. Low tire inflation pressures
will result in overheating and possible
failure of the tires.
Avoid using worn or damaged tires which
may result in reduced traction or tire fail-
ure.
✽✽
NOTICE
Never exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure shown on the tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
High speed travel consumes more fuel
than urban motoring. Do not forget to
check both engine coolant and engine oil.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may result
in overheating of the engine.
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires can cause poor handling,
loss of vehicle control, and sud-den tire failure leading to acci-
dents, injuries, and even death.
Always check tires for proper
inflation before driving. For prop-
er tire pressures, refer to “Tires
and wheels” in section 8.
Driving on tires with no or insuffi- cient tread is dangerous. Worn- out tires can result in loss of
vehicle control, collisions, injury,
and even death. Worn-out tires should be replaced as soon as
possible and should never be
used for driving. Always check
the tire tread before driving your
car. For further information and
tread limits, refer to “Tires and
wheels” in section 7.
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547
Driving your vehicle
The more severe weather conditions of
winter result in greater wear and other
problems. To minimize the problems of
winter driving, you should follow thesesuggestions:
Snowy or icy conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may
be necessary to use snow tires or to
install tire chains on your tires. If snow
tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and type of the
original equipment tires. Failure to do so
may adversely affect the safety and han-
dling of your vehicle. Furthermore,
speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden
brake applications, and sharp turns are
potentially very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking
to the fullest extent. Sudden brake appli-
cations on snowy or icy roads may cause
skids to occur. You need to keep suffi-
cient distance between the vehicle in
operation in front and your vehicle. Also,
apply the brake gently. It should be notedthat installing tire chains on the tire will
provide a greater driving force, but will
not prevent side skids.
✽✽NOTICE
Tire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before fitting tire
chains.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the original
tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels
to balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind that the
traction provided by snow tires on dry
roads may not be as high as your vehi-
cle's original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-
imum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without first checking local, state and municipal regu- lations for possible restrictions against
their use.
WINTER DRIVING
WARNING- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle's stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety
and handling of your vehicle may
be adversely affected.
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Driving your vehicle
48
5
Tire chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by mount-
ing some types of snow chains on them.
Therefore, the use of snow tires is rec-
ommended instead of snow chains. Do
not mount tire chains on vehicles
equipped with aluminum wheels; snow
chains may cause damage to the wheels.
If snow chains must be used, use wire-
type chains with a thickness of less than
0.59 in (15 mm). Damage to your vehicle
caused by improper snow chain use is
not covered by your vehicle manufactur-
ers warranty. When using tire chains, attach them to
the drive wheels as follows.
2WD : Front wheels
AWD : All four wheels
If a full set of chains is not avail-
able for an AWD vehicle, chains
may be installed on the front
wheels only. Chain installation
When installing chains, follow the manu-
facturer's instructions and mount them as
tightly as you can. Drive slowly with
chains installed. If you hear the chains
contacting the body or chassis, stop and
tighten them. If they still make contact,
slow down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving on
cleared roads.
CAUTION
Make sure the snow chains are
the correct size and type for yourtires. Incorrect snow chains cancause damage to the vehicle body
and suspension and may not becovered by your vehicle manufac-turer warranty. Also, the snow
chain connecting hooks may bedamaged from contacting vehicle components causing the snowchains to come loose from the
tire. Make sure the snow chainsare SAE class “S” certified.
Always check chain installation for proper mounting after drivingapproximately 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5to 1 km) to ensure safe mounting.Retighten or remount the chains
if they are loose.WARNING
- Mounting chains
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning flashers and place
a triangular emergency warning
device behind the vehicle if avail-
able. Always place the vehicle in P
(Park), apply the parking brake and
turn off the engine before installing
snow chains.
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551
Driving your vehicle
If you are considering towing with your
vehicle, you should first check with your
state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to
determine their legal requirements.
Since laws vary from state to state the
requirements for towing trailers, cars, or
other types of vehicles or apparatus may
differ. Ask an authorized HYUNDAI deal-
er for further details before towing.Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the infor-
mation in “Weight of the trailer” that appears later in this section.Remember that trailering is different than
just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and it has to be used properly.
This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the load of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads. This
additional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
TRAILER TOWING
WARNING- Towing a trail-
er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive improperly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well - or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps inthis section.
WARNING- Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, GCW (gross combi-
nation weight), GVW (gross vehicle
weight), GAW (gross axle weight) and trailer tongue load are all with- in the limits.
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly candamage your vehicle and result incostly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section.

553
Driving your vehicle
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still work-ing.
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because of the increased vehicle length,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane. Due to the added load to the
engine when going uphill the vehicle may
also take longer to pass than it would on
flat ground.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance before turning or lane changes.
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signals
when, in fact, they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.

561
Driving your vehicle
The label will help you decide how
much cargo and installed equipment
your vehicle can carry.
If you carry items inside your vehicle
- like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else - they are moving as
fast as the vehicle. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a crash,
the items will keep going and can
cause an injury if they strike the driv-
er or a passenger.
(Continued)
Do not load your vehicle anyheavier than the GVWR, either
the maximum front or rear
GAWR and vehicle capacity
weight. If you do, parts,
including tires on your vehicle
can break, and it can change
the way your vehicle handles
and braking ability. This could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehi-
cle.WARNING
Overloading your vehicle can cause heat buildup in your
vehicle's tires and possibletire failure that could lead to acrash.
Overloading your vehicle can cause increased stopping dis-tances that could lead to acrash.
A crash resulting from poor handling vehicle damage, tire
failure, or increased stoppingdistances could result in seri-
ous injury or death.
WARNING - Loose cargo
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
occupants in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put items in the cargo area of your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
Never stack items, like suit- cases, inside the vehicle
above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it.
Do not drive with a seat folded down unless necessary.
CAUTION
Overloading your vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs wouldnot be covered by your warran-ty. Do not overload your vehicle.
Using heavier suspension com- ponents to get added durabilitymight not change your weight
ratings. Ask your dealer to helpyou load your vehicle the right
way.

67
What to do in an emergency
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)
(1) Low tire pressure telltale / TPMS malfunction indicator
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthlywhen cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehi-
cle manufacturer on the vehicle plac-
ard or tire inflation pressure label. (If
your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.) As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of yourtires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pres-
sure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-cantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver’s responsi-bility to maintain correct tire pres-
sure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator toindicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS mal-function indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. Whenthe system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximate-
ly one minute and then remain con-
tinuously illuminated. This sequence
will continue upon subsequent vehi-
cle start-ups as long as the malfunc-
tion exists. When the malfunctionindicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunctiontelltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle toensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function proper-
ly.
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What to do in an emergency
8
6
✽✽
NOTICE
If the TPMS, Low Tire Pressure indi-
cator does not illuminate for 3 sec-
onds when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position or the
engine is running, or if it remains
illuminated after coming on for
approximately 3 seconds, take your
vehicle to your nearest authorized
HYUNDAI dealer and have the sys-
tem checked.Low tire pressure tell- tale
When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning indicator is illuminat-
ed, one or more of your tires is sig-nificantly under-inflated.
Immediately reduce your speed,
avoid hard cornering and anticipate
increased stopping distances. You
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible. Inflate the tires tothe proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle’s placard or tire inflation
pressure label located on the driver’s
side center pillar outer panel. If you
cannot reach a service station or if
the tire cannot hold the newly added
air, replace the low pressure tire with
the compact spare tire.
Then the TPMS malfunction indicator
may turn on and the Low TirePressure telltale will remain on until
you have the low-pressure tire
repaired and replaced on the vehicle.✽✽ NOTICE
The compact spare tire is not
equipped with a tire pressure sensor.

69
What to do in an emergency
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)malfunction indicator
The low tire pressure telltale will illu-
minate after it blinks for approximate-
ly one minute when there is a prob-
lem with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring system.
Have the system checked by an
authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon
as possible to determine the cause
of the problem.
WARNING - Low pressure damage
Significantly low tire pressure
makes the vehicle unstable and
can contribute to loss of vehicle
control and increased brakingdistances.
Continued driving on low pres- sure tires can cause the tires to
overheat and fail.CAUTION
In winter or cold weather, the low tire pressure telltale may beilluminated if the tire pressurewas adjusted to the recom-mended tire inflation pressurein warm weather. It does notmean your TPMS is malfunction-ing because the decreased tem-perature leads to a proportionallowering of tire pressure.
When you drive your vehiclefrom a warm area to a cold areaor from a cold area to a warmarea, or the outside temperatureis greatly higher or lower, youshould check the tire inflation pressure and adjust the tires tothe recommended tire inflationpressure.