tires KIA PICANTO 2015 Owner's Guide

741
Maintenance
Checking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use a good quality 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 even when
they're underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven nomore than 1.6 km (1 mile).
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gauge firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflationpressure matches the recommendedpressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in the cen-
ter of the tire valve. Recheck the tire
pressure with the tire gauge. Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the
valve stems. They help prevent leaks
by keeping out dirt and moisture.
WARNING - Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure. This
could result in loss of vehicle
control and potential injury.
CAUTION - Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehiclehas been parked for at leastthree hours or hasn't beendriven more than 1.6 km (one mile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you checkthe pressure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload avehicle luggage rack if your vehicle is equipped with one.
Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badlyworn, or if your tires havebeen damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
Warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pres-sures by 28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6psi). Do not release air fromwarm tires to adjust the pres- sure or the tires will be under-inflated.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Withoutthe valve cap, dirt or moisture could get into the valve coreand cause air leakage. If avalve cap is missing, install anew one as soon as possible.

Maintenance
42
7
Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom- mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) 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 pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either 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
lug nut tightness.
Refer to “Tire and wheels” in section 8.
WARNING
Inspect your tires frequently for proper inflation as well as
wear and damage. Always use
a tire pressure gauge.
Tires with too much or too little pressure wear unevenly caus-
ing poor handling, loss of vehi-
cle control, and sudden tirefailure leading to accidents,
injuries, and even death. Therecommended cold tire pres-
sure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and onthe tire label located on the dri-
ver's side center pillar.
Worn tires can cause acci- dents. Replace tires that are
worn, show uneven wear, or
are damaged.
Remember to check the pres- sure of your spare tire. Kia
recommends that you check
the spare every time you
check the pressure of the
other tires on your vehicle.
S2BLA790
S2BLA790A
CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire
With a full-size spare tire (if equipped) Directional tires (if equipped)

743
Maintenance
Disc brake pads should be inspectedfor wear whenever tires are rotated.
✽✽ NOTICE
Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only from
front to rear and not from right to
left.
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 needto be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced. Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there isless than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) 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 replac-
ing the tire.
✽✽
NOTICE
We recommend that when replacing
tires, use the same originally sup-
plied with the vehicles.
If not, that effects driving perform-
ance.
WARNING
Do not use the compact spare tire for tire rotation.
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
CAUTION
Improper wheel weights can
damage your vehicle's alu-minum wheels. Use only approved wheel weights.
OEN076053
Tread wear indicator

Maintenance
44
7
WARNING - Replacing
tires
To reduce the chance of serious
or fatal injuries from an acci-
dent caused by tire failure or
loss of vehicle control:
Replace tires that are worn, show uneven wear, or are
damaged. Worn tires can
cause loss of braking effec-
tiveness, steering control, andtraction.
Do not drive your vehicle with too little or too much pressure
in your tires. This can lead to
uneven wear and tire failure.
When replacing tires, never mix radial and bias-ply tires
on the same car. You must
replace all tires (including the
spare) if moving from radial to
bias-ply tires.
(Continued)(Continued)
Using tires and wheels otherthan the recommended sizes
could cause unusual handling
characteristics and poor vehi-
cle control, resulting in a seri-ous accident.
Wheels that do not meet Kia’s specifications may fit poorly
and result in damage to the
vehicle or unusual handling
and poor vehicle control.
The ABS works by comparing the speed of the wheels. The
tire size affects wheel speed.
When replacing tires, all 4
tires must use the same size
originally supplied with the
vehicle. Using tires of a differ-
ent size can cause the
ABS(Anti-lock Brake System)
and ESC(Electronic Stability
Control) to work irregularly. (ifequipped)CAUTION
When replacing the tires,
recheck and tighten the wheelnuts after driving about 1,000 km (620miles). If the steering wheelshakes or the vehicle vibrateswhile driving, the tire is out of balance. Align the tire balance. Ifthe problem is not solved, werecommend that you contact an authorized Kia dealer.

745
Maintenance
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 mountedon the same compact spare tire
wheel. The compact spare tire is notdesigned to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size 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 widthand 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. Slow down whenever there
is rain, snow or ice on the road toreduce the possibility of losing con-
trol of the vehicle. 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 thewheel 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 removedfrom the wheel.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling char-
acteristics, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, snow
chain clearance, speedometer
and odometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height.

Maintenance
46
7
Tire sidewall labeling
This information identifies and
describes the fundamental charac-
teristics of the tire and also provides
the tire identification number (TIN)
for safety standard certification. TheTIN can be used to identify the tire incase of a recall.
1. Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or Brand name is
shown.
2. Tire size designation
A tire’s sidewall is marked with a tire
size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your car. The following
explains what the letters and numbers
in the tire size designation mean.
Example tire size designation:
(These numbers are provided as an
example only; your tire size designator
could vary depending on your vehicle.) 175/50R15 75H
175 - Tire width in millimeters.
50 - Aspect ratio. The tire’s section
height as a percentage of its width.
R - Tire construction code (Radial).
15 - Rim diameter in inches.
75 - Load Index, a numerical code associated with the maximum
load the tire can carry.
H - Speed Rating Symbol. See the
speed rating chart in this section
for additional information. Wheel size designation
Wheels are also marked with impor-
tant information that you need if you
ever have to replace one. The follow-
ing explains what the letters and
numbers in the wheel size designa-tion mean.
Example wheel size designation: 5.5JX15
5.5 - Rim width in inches. J - Rim contour designation.
15 - Rim diameter in inches.
Tire speed ratings
The chart below lists many of the dif-
ferent speed ratings currently being
used for passenger car tires. The
speed rating is part of the tire size
designation on the sidewall of the
tire. This symbol corresponds to that
tire's designed maximum safe oper-ating speed.
I030B04JM
1
1
23
4
5,6
7

747
Maintenance
3. Checking tire life (TIN : TireIdentification Number)
Any tires that are over 6 years old,
based on the manufacturing date,(including the spare tire) should be
replaced by new ones. You can find
the manufacturing date on the tire
sidewall (possibly on the inside of the
wheel), displaying the DOT Code.
The DOT Code is a series of num-
bers on a tire consisting of numbers
and English letters. The manufactur-
ing date is designated by the last four
digits (characters) of the DOT code. DOT : XXXX XXXX OOOO
The front part of the DOT means a
plant code number, tire size and
tread pattern and the last four num-
bers indicate week and year manu-
factured.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1614 represents
that the tire was produced in the 16th
week of 2014.
4. Tire ply composition and material
The number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric in the tire. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the
materials in the tire, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
The letter "R" means radial ply con-
struction; the letter "D" means diago-
nal or bias ply construction; and theletter "B" means belted-bias ply con-
struction.
5. 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 per-
missible inflation pressure. Refer to
the Tire and Loading Information label
for recommended inflation pressure.
6. 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.
S 180 km/h (112 mph)
T 190 km/h (118 mph)
H 210 km/h (130 mph)
V 240 km/h (149 mph) Z Above 240 km/h (149 mph)
Maximum Speed
Speed
Rating
Symbol
WARNING - Tire age
Tires degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, it is recommended that
tires generally be replaced after
six (6) years of normal service.
Heat caused by hot climates orfrequent high loading conditions
can accelerate the aging
process. Failure to follow this
warning can result in sudden tire
failure, which could lead to a
loss of control and an accident
involving serious injury or death.

Maintenance
48
7
7. Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 400
TRACTION A
TEMPERATURE A
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate ofthe tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment 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
side-walls 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 measuredunder controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Temperature - A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation ofheat and its ability to dissipate heatwhen tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratorytest 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 perform-
ance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include accelera-
tion, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.WARNING - Tire
temperature
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, under-
inflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combina-
tion, can cause heat build-up and
possible sudden tire failure. This
can cause loss of vehicle control
and serious injury or death.

749
Maintenance
Low aspect ratio tire (if equipped)
Low aspect ratio tires, whose aspect
ratio is lower than 50, are provided
for sporty looks.
Because the low aspect ratio tires
are optimized for handling and brak-
ing, it may be more uncomfortable to
ride in and there is more noise com-
pare with normal tires.CAUTION
Because the sidewall of the lowaspect ratio tire is shorter thanthe normal, the wheel and tire of the low aspect ratio tire is easi-er to be damaged. So, follow theinstructions below.
- When driving on a rough road or off road, drive cautiouslybecause tires and wheels maybe damaged. And after driv- ing, inspect tires and wheels.
- When passing over a pothole, speed bump, manhole, or curbstone, drive slowly so that thetires and wheels are not dam- aged.
- If the tire is impacted, we rec- ommend that you inspect thetire condition or contact anauthorized Kia dealer.
- To prevent damage to the tire, inspect the tire condition andpressure every 3,000km.
CAUTION
It is not easy to recognize the tire damage with your owneyes. But if there is the slight-est hint of tire damage, eventhough you cannot see the tire damage with your own eyes,have the tire checked orreplaced because the tire damage may cause air leak-age from the tire.
If the tire is damaged by driv- ing on a rough road, off road,pothole, manhole, or curb stone, it will not be covered bythe warranty.
You can find out the tire infor- mation on the tire sidewall.

8
Engine / 8-2
Dimensions / 8-2
Bulb wattage / 8-2
Tires and wheels / 8-3
Weight/Volume / 8-3
Recommended lubricants and capacities / 8-4
Vehicle identification number (VIN) / 8-6
Vehicle certification label / 8-6
Tire specification and pressure label / 8-7
Engine number / 8-7
Air conditioner compressor label / 8-7
Declaration of conformity / 8-8
Specifications & Consumer information