Kia Soul 2015 Owner's Manual page 623

Maintenance
3. Checking tyre life
(TIN : Tyre Identification Number)
Any tyres that are over 6 years,
based on the manufacturing date,
tyre strength and performance,
decline with age naturally (even
unused spare tyres). Therefore, the
tyres (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 numbers on a tyre consist-
ing of numbers and English letters.
The manufacturing date is designat-
ed 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 numbers indi-
cate week and year manufactured.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1614 represents
that the tyre was produced in the
16th week of 2014.
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WARNING
- Tyre age
Tyres degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, it is recommended that
tyres generally be replaced after
six (6) years of normal service.
Heat caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading conditions
can accelerate the
process. Failure to follow this
Warning can result in sudden
tyre failure, which could lead to a
loss of control and an accident
involving serious injury or death.
4. Tyre ply composition and mate-
rial
The number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric are 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
aging
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.