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.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct size may adversely affect wheel and bearing life, braking and stopping abilities, handling characteristics, ground clearance, body-to-tire clearance, snow chain clearance, speedometer and odometer calibration, headlight aim and bumper height.
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 a professional workshop check the wheel alignment. Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
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.
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear indicator (A) will appear as a solid band across the tread. This shows there is less than 1.6 mm (1/16 in.
This information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics of the tire and also provides the tire identification number (TIN) for safety standard certification.
Checking the parking brake Check the stroke of the parking brake by counting the number of “clicks’’ heard while fully applying it from the released position. Also, the parking brake alone should securely hold the vehicle on a fairly steep grade.
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.