Kia SORENTO Owner's Manual page 443

Maintenance
3. Checking tyre life (TIN : Tyre
Identification Number)
Any tyres that are over 6 years old,
based on the manufacturing date,
(including the spare tyre) should be
replaced by new ones. You can find
the manufacturing date on the tyre
sidewall (possibly on the inside of the
wheel), displaying the DOT Code.
The DOT Code is a series of num-
bers on a tyre 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, tyre size and
tread pattern and the last four num-
bers indicate week and year manu-
factured.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1619 represents
that the tyre was produced in the
16th week of 2019.
8 48
WARNING
- Tyre age
Tyres degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, we recommend that tyres
be replaced after approximately
six (6) years of normal service.
Heat caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading condi-
tions can accelerate the aging
process. Failure to follow this
warning can result in sudden
tyre failure, which could lead to
a loss of control and an acci-
dent involving serious injury or
death.
4. Tyre ply composition and mate-
rial
The number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric in the tyre. Tyre
manufacturers also must indicate the
materials in the tyre, 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 the
letter "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 tyre. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tyre and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.