Hyundai Kona Hybrid 2023 Owner's Manual page 598

Maintenance
(3) Checking tire life (TIN: Tire
Identification Number)
Any tires that are over six years old, based
on the manufacturing date, (including the
spare tire) must 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 numbers on a tire
consisting of numbers and English letters.
The manufacturing date is designated by
the last four digits (characters) of the DOT
code.
DOT: XXXX XXXX OOOO
The front part of the DOT shows a plant
code number, tire size, and tread pattern
and the last four numbers indicate the
week and year manufactured.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1522 represents that the
tire was produced in the 15th week of
2023.
(4) Tire ply composition and material
The number of layers or plies of
rubber-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 construction. The
letter "D" means diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter "B" means
belted-bias ply construction.
(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 permissible
inflation pressure. Refer to the Tire and
Loading Information label for
recommended inflation pressure.
9-42
(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.
(7) Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
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 times (1½) as well on
the government 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 sidewalls
of passenger vehicle tires. The tires
available as standard or optional
equipment on your vehicle may vary
depending on the grade.