2008 Suzuki Forenza Owner's Manual - Page 181

SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE • The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric. • The tire has a bump, bulge or split. • The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can't be repaired well because of the size or location of the damage. Uniform Tire Quality Grading WARNING Replacing the wheels and tires equipped on your vehicle with certain combinations of aftermarket wheels and tires can significantly change the steering and handling characteristics of your vehicle. Oversized tires may also rub against the fender over bumps, causing vehicle damage or tire failure. Therefore, use only those wheel and tire combinations approved by SUZUKI Motor Corporation as standard or optional equipment for your vehicle. For information regarding the specified tires, refer to the Tire Information Label located on the driver's side door pillar or "Tire Inflation Pressure" in this section. Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall between the tread shoulder and the maximum section width. For example: Tread wear 200 Traction AA Temperature A The following information relates to the system developed by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by tread wear, traction and temperature performance. (This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires. While the tires available on SUZUKI vehicles may vary with respect to these grades, they all conform to federal safety requirements. 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 (1.5) times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The Buying New Tires To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the Tire and Loading Information label. Make sure the replacements are the same size, load range, speed rating and construction type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. WARNING Your SUZUKI is equipped with tires which are all the same type and size. This is important to ensure proper steering and handling of the vehicle. Never mix tires of different size or type on the four wheels of your vehicle. The size and type of tires used should be only those approved by SUZUKI Motor Corporation as standard or optional equipment for your vehicle. CAUTION Replacing the original tires with tires of a different size may result in false speedometer or odometer readings. Check with your SUZUKI dealer before purchasing replacement tires that differ in size from the original tires. 5-37