Kia Seltos: Maintenance / Tires and wheels

Contents:

• Tire rotation
• Wheel alignment and tire balance
• Tire replacement
• Wheel replacement
• Tire traction
• Tire maintenance
• Tire sidewall labeling
• Tire terminology and definitions
• All season tires
• Summer tires
• Snow tires
• Tire chains
• Radial-ply tires
• Low aspect ratio tire

For safety, proper vehicle maintenance, stable handling, and maximum fuel economy, always maintain the recommended tire inflation pressures for your Kia Seltos. Also stay within the load limits and weight distribution recommended for the vehicle.

Recommended cold tire inflation pressures

All tire pressures should be checked when the tires are cold. "Cold tires" means the Kia Seltos has not been driven for at least three hours, or has been driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).

The recommended tire pressures should be maintained for the best ride comfort, vehicle handling, braking performance, and minimum tire wear.

For the recommended inflation pressure, refer to the tire and loading information label or the vehicle specifications section.

All tire specifications, including tire sizes and inflation pressures, are shown on the label attached to the driver's side center pillar.

WARNING

Tire underinflation

Inflate the tires on your Kia Seltos according to the instructions provided in this manual. Check tire inflation pressure regularly and adjust it when needed, at least twice a month and before every long road trip. Failure to follow this precaution may result in driving on underinflated tires, which can reduce vehicle stability and increase the risk of tire damage or an accident.

The risk from underinflated tires is higher on hot days and during long periods of high-speed driving.

Failure to maintain the specified tire pressure may cause excessive tire wear, poor handling, reduced fuel economy, tire or wheel deformation, harsh ride quality, increased vulnerability to road hazard damage, and possible tire failure.

Tire pressure

Always follow these tire pressure guidelines for your Kia Seltos to help maintain safe handling, proper tire wear, and good fuel economy:

• Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. This means the Kia Seltos has been parked for at least three hours or has been driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) after startup.

• Check the pressure of the spare tire each time you check the pressure of the regular tires.

• Never overload your vehicle. If your Kia Seltos is equipped with a luggage rack, be careful not to overload it.

• Warm tires normally show pressures that are 4~6 psi (28~41 kPa) higher than the recommended cold tire pressure. Do not release air from warm tires to adjust the pressure, or the tires may become underinflated once they cool.

WARNING

Tire Inflation

Overinflation or underinflation can shorten tire life, negatively affect Kia Seltos handling, and lead to sudden tire failure. This may result in loss of vehicle control and possible injury.

Tire rotation

To help equalize tread wear, it is recommended that the tires on the Kia Seltos be rotated every 8,000 miles (13,000 km), or sooner if irregular wear appears.

During tire rotation, check that the tires are correctly balanced.

When rotating the tires, inspect them for uneven wear, cuts, cracks, bulges, or other damage. Abnormal wear is often caused by incorrect tire pressure, improper wheel alignment, out-of-balance wheels, hard braking, or aggressive cornering. Look carefully for bumps or bulges in the tread or sidewall. Replace the tire if either condition is found. Also replace the tire if fabric or cord is visible.

After rotation, adjust the front and rear tire pressures to the specified values and check wheel lug nut tightness. The proper torque is 79~94 lbf·ft (11~13 kgf·m).

Refer to the related tire and wheel specifications for more details.

Disc brake pads should be inspected for wear whenever the tires are rotated.

Radial tires with an asymmetric tread pattern should be rotated only from front to rear, and not from right to left.

WARNING

Mixing tires

• Do not include the compact spare tire in tire rotation.

• Do not mix bias-ply and radial-ply tires under any circumstances. Mixing tire construction types may cause unusual handling characteristics and reduce vehicle stability.

Wheel alignment and tire balance

The wheels on your Kia Seltos were carefully aligned and balanced at the factory to help provide long tire life and the best overall driving performance.

In most cases, wheel alignment will not need to be adjusted again. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or the vehicle pulling to one side while driving, the alignment may need to be checked and reset.

If you notice vibration while driving on a smooth road, one or more wheels may need to be rebalanced.

CAUTION

Wheel weight

Improper wheel weights may damage the aluminum wheels on the Kia Seltos. Use only approved wheel weights designed for the vehicle.

Tire replacement

If a tire is worn evenly, a tread wear indicator (A) will appear as a solid band across the tread.

This indicates that less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread remains on the tire. Replace the tire when this condition appears.

Do not wait for the tread wear band to appear across the entire width of the tread before replacing the tire.

The ABS system operates by comparing individual wheel speeds, and tire size directly affects wheel speed readings. When replacing tires on the Kia Seltos, all four tires must be the same size as those originally supplied with the vehicle. Using tires of a different size may cause ABS and ESC malfunction.

It is best to replace all four tires at the same time. If this is not possible or not necessary, replace the two front tires or two rear tires as a pair. Replacing only one tire can seriously affect handling and stability.

NOTICE

When replacing tires, use the same type, size, load rating, and specification as the tires originally supplied with your Kia Seltos. This helps preserve driving performance, braking stability, ride comfort, and safety system operation.

Wheel replacement

When replacing the metal wheels on your Kia Seltos for any reason, make sure the new wheels are equivalent to the original factory-installed wheels in diameter, rim width, and offset.

A wheel with an incorrect size or offset can negatively affect wheel and bearing life, braking and stopping performance, handling characteristics, ground clearance, body-to-tire clearance, snow chain clearance, speedometer and odometer accuracy, headlight aim, and bumper height.

CAUTION

Wheels

Wheels that do not meet Kia specifications may fit poorly and can cause vehicle damage, unusual handling, poor stability, or reduced control of the Kia Seltos.

Tire traction

Tire traction can be reduced when driving on worn tires, improperly inflated tires, or slippery road surfaces.

Tires should be replaced when the tread wear indicators appear. Slow down whenever rain, snow, ice, or other slippery conditions are present to reduce the possibility of losing control of the Kia Seltos.

Tire maintenance

In addition to maintaining proper tire inflation, correct wheel alignment helps reduce tire wear and supports predictable handling.

If you notice that a tire is wearing unevenly, have an authorized Kia dealer check the wheel alignment.

When new tires are installed, make sure they are balanced. Proper balancing improves ride comfort and helps extend tire life. A tire should always be rebalanced whenever it is removed from the wheel.

Tire sidewall labeling ➤

Tire terminology and definitions ➤

All season tires

Kia specifies all season tires on some Kia Seltos models to provide balanced performance throughout the year, including light snow, cold weather, wet roads, and occasional icy road conditions.

All season tires are identified by the markings ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud and Snow) on the tire sidewall. However, snow tires usually provide better traction on snow and ice than all season tires and may be more suitable in areas with severe winter conditions.

Summer tires

Kia specifies summer tires on some models to provide enhanced performance, steering response, and grip on dry and warm road surfaces.

Summer tire performance is greatly reduced on snow and ice. Summer tires do not have the M+S (Mud and Snow) traction rating on the tire sidewall. If you plan to drive your Kia Seltos in snowy or icy conditions, Kia recommends installing snow tires or all season tires on all four wheels.

Snow tires

If you equip your Kia Seltos with snow tires, they should be the same size and have the same load capacity as the original tires.

Snow tires should be installed on all four wheels. Installing snow tires on only one axle may result in poor handling, reduced stability, and unpredictable vehicle behavior.

Snow tires should be inflated to 4 psi (28 kPa) above the pressure recommended for the standard tires on the tire label located on the driver's side center pillar, or up to the maximum pressure shown on the tire sidewall, whichever is lower.

Do not drive faster than 75 mph (120 km/h) when your Kia Seltos is equipped with snow tires.

WARNING

Do not use summer tires at temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) or when driving on snow or ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C), summer tires can lose elasticity, reducing traction and braking performance. Change the tires on your Kia Seltos to winter tires or all-weather tires of the same size as the standard tires. These tires are identified by the M+S (Mud and Snow) marking. Using summer tires in very cold temperatures may cause cracks and permanent tire damage.

Tire chains

If tire chains are required, they should be installed on the front wheels of the Kia Seltos.

Make sure the chains are installed according to the tire chain manufacturer's instructions.

To reduce tire and chain wear, do not continue driving with tire chains when they are no longer needed.

• When driving on roads covered with snow or ice, drive at less than 20 mph (30 km/h).

• Use SAE "S" class chains or wire-type chains.

• If you hear noise caused by the chains contacting the vehicle body, stop safely and retighten the chains to prevent damage.

• To help prevent vehicle damage, retighten the chains after driving 0.3~0.6 miles (0.5~1.0 km).

• Do not use tire chains on vehicles equipped with aluminum wheels. If chain use is unavoidable, use a wire-type chain.

• Use wire chains thinner than 0.47 in (12 mm) to help prevent damage to chain connections and surrounding vehicle components.

Radial-ply tires

Radial-ply tires help provide improved tread life, better resistance to common road hazards, and a smoother ride at higher speeds. The Kia Seltos uses radial-ply tires selected to support the vehicle's ride comfort, handling balance, and everyday driving stability.

The radial-ply tires used on the Kia Seltos have a belted construction and are designed to match the vehicle's suspension and handling characteristics. Radial-ply tires have the same load-carrying capacity as bias-ply or bias-belted tires of the same size and use the same recommended inflation pressure.

Mixing radial-ply tires with bias-ply or bias-belted tires is not recommended. Using a combination of radial-ply and bias-ply or bias-belted tires on the same vehicle can seriously reduce handling performance and stability. The best practice is to use four identical radial-ply tires on the Kia Seltos at all times.

Longer-wearing tires may be more likely to develop irregular tread wear if they are not maintained correctly. To achieve the best tread life, follow the tire rotation interval listed in this section. Cuts and punctures in radial-ply tires can be repaired only in the tread area because the sidewalls flex during driving. Consult a qualified tire dealer for proper radial-ply tire repair.

Low aspect ratio tire

Low aspect ratio tires, with an aspect ratio lower than 50, may be equipped on some Kia Seltos models to provide a sportier appearance and sharper driving response.

Because low aspect ratio tires are optimized for handling and braking performance, ride comfort may be firmer and road noise may be greater compared with normal tires.

CAUTION

Because the sidewall of a low aspect ratio tire is shorter than a standard tire, the wheel and tire are more easily damaged by impacts. Follow the instructions below to help protect the tires and wheels on your Kia Seltos.

• When driving on rough roads or off-road surfaces, drive carefully because tires and wheels may be damaged. After driving in these conditions, inspect the tires and wheels.

• When passing over a pothole, speed bump, manhole cover, curb stone, or similar obstacle, slow down to reduce the risk of tire and wheel damage.

• If a tire receives a strong impact, inspect the tire condition carefully or contact an authorized Kia dealer.

• To help prevent tire damage, inspect tire condition and tire pressure every 1,900 miles (3,000 km).

• Tire damage is not always easy to see. If you suspect damage, even when no visible defect is found, have the tire checked or replaced because internal damage may cause air leakage.

• If a tire is damaged by driving on a rough road, off-road surface, pothole, manhole cover, or curb stone, the damage may not be covered by the vehicle warranty.

• You can find important tire information, including size, load rating, speed rating, and construction details, on the tire sidewall.