FALKEN Tire Corporation Warranty Information

: June 8, 2024
: Falken

Table of Contents

The Limited Warranty for Falken Brand Radial Tires
TIRE CARE AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE – IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
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The Limited Warranty for Falken Brand Radial Tires

Tires Covered by This Warranty.

This limited warranty applies to FALKEN brand steel belted radial passenger car and selected light truck tires bearing the complete description and serial number as required by the DOT. This warranty applies only to tires purchased after January 1, 200. Tires purchased 9before that date are subject to previous published warranties. This warranty is effective only for tires for which claims are made within five years of date of production, based on the tire DOT serial number.

What is Warranted and For How Long.

A. Material and Workmanship Warranty.

Every FALKEN brand radial tire is warranted against defects in material and workmanship for the life of the original tread, to 2/32” of the remaining tread depth.
If a tire becomes unserviceable due to such defect within the first 2/32” of tread wear; it will be replaced free of charge with a comparable FALKEN tire.
Thereafter, prorated adjustment credit to the customer will be given based on percentage of remaining usable tread depth, down to 2/32”. The amount of credit allowed is determined by multiplying the FALKEN dealer’s current selling price for an equivalent new FALKEN tire by the percentage remaining usable tread depth.
OUT-OF-ROUND or OUT-OF-BALANCE claims will be accepted for adjustment only during the first 1/32” of the original tread depth, and tires will be replaced free of charge with comparable FALKEN tires. A set of four (4) tires form the same vehicle will not be accepted for out-of-round or out-of-balance claims.

B. Mileage Warranty.

FALKEN brand radial tires noted below are warranted to achieve the following mileages before becoming worn out at 2/32” remaining tread depth.
Passenger Car Tires: Miles / km
ZE-912 (60 / 65 Series) 65,000 / 104,650
ZE-912 (55 Series and Below) 40,000 / 64,400
ZE-512 (60 / 65 Series) 60,000 / 96,500
ZE-512 (55 Series and Below) 30,000 / 48,200
Light Truck Tires:
Radial A/P (P-metric Only) 50,000 / 80,400
Landair H/T 50,000 / 80,400
S/TZ01, S/TZ04 50,000 / 80,400

This mileage warranty is effective for normal highway use when all of the Owners Obligations (listed in Section 4) are met. It does not apply to designs not listed above, nor any snow tires. It does not apply to tires that cannot be rotated, such as staggered fitments.

What is Not Covered (Exclusions).

Unserviceability due to road hazards (cuts, snags, punctures, bruises, impact breaks, etc.) improper inflation, overload, irregular wear, wheel imbalance, defective vehicle mechanical components (i.e., brakes, shocks, rims) improper suspension alignment, accident, fire, chemical damage, chain damage, racing, off-road use, runflat, improper installation, vandalism, or abuse.
Tires on any vehicles registered and normally used outside the 50 United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Tires branded “NA” or having the DOT number removed.
Tires presented for warranty claim by other than the original purchaser. This warranty is not transferable.
Tires transferred to another vehicle from the one upon which they were originally installed.
A tire whose failure is related to any previous damages and/or repairs.
Any cost of tire repair or retreading is not covered by this warranty and will be solely borne by tire owner.
The Mileage Warranty is not applicable if tires are used in commercial service, or determined at our sole discretion, have premature or irregular wear due to abusive service or defective vehicle mechanical conditions. Abusive service includes off road use, excessive mountain road driving, racing, or passenger car tires on pick-up, recreational or utility vehicles.
Vehicles where tires cannot be rotated, such as staggered fitments.

Owners Obligations.

At the time of purchase, the tire(s) must be properly installed, balanced, and air pressure set to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation. At least monthly the owner must check air pressure with a gauge and reinflate to recommended level. Every 5,000 miles tires must be rotated and the proof of compliance must be recorded on the Warranty Card.
All warranty claims must be presented to an authorized FALKEN dealer.
You must present your Warranty Card verifying mileage, rotation, proof of date and place of purchase, to make a Mileage Warranty claim. The name of the FALKEN dealer from whom the tires were purchased must be included on the form.
You must pay any costs for mounting, balancing, or any other service charges, including applicable taxes.

Legal Rights.

ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE
ABOVE PERIOD. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, FALKEN TIRE CORPORATION SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SUCH AS LOSS OF USE OF THE TIRE OR THE VEHICLE ON WHICH IT IS USED, INCONVENIENCE, OR COMMERCIAL LOSS. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE. THIS IS THE ONLY EXPRESS WARRANTY APPLICABLE TO FALKEN BRAND TIRES, AND SUPERCEDES THE TERMS OF ANY PREVIOUS WARRANTY. FALKEN NEITHER ASSUMES NOR AUTHORIZES ANYONE TO ASSUME FOR IT ANY OTHER WARRANTY.

TIRE CARE AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE – IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

SAFETY WARNING – TIRE UNDERINFLATION / OVERLOADING

Serious injury or death may result from tire underinflation or overloading. Follow owner’s manual and your car’s tire information placard for proper inflation pressures and load carrying capacities.

MAINTAIN PROPER INFLATION PRESSURE IN YOUR TIRES

Proper inflation pressure is necessary for tire safety, performance, and best fuel economy. To maintain proper inflation pressure, at least monthly check your tires with an accurate pressure gauge while cool (driven less than a mile). If you check hot tires while traveling, expect the pressure to be 5 – 10 PSI above the recommendation. That is normal, due to temperature rise during flexing. Do not bleed off pressure to reduce pressure down to the recommendation. If a hot tire reads at or below recommended pressure, add 5 PSI more than recommended, and then later check when cool.

It is very difficult to tell an underinflated tire just by looking at it – you must use a gauge. Set the pressure to the level recommended by the vehicle manufacturer for the original equipment size tire, or use Falken’s pressure recommendation if the size has been changed from the original equipment size.

Underinflation is the most common cause of tire failures in any kind of tire and may result in severe cracking, component separation and tire failure (“blow-out”), with unexpected loss of vehicle control, and accident, with possible death or injury.

Furthermore, when driving a vehicle with radial tires, especially low profile tires, it is very difficult to notice that a tire has started to deflate or gone flat, since the “feel” of the vehicle does not change appreciably. Therefore, frequent visual and pressure inspections are very necessary.

DO NOT OVERLOAD YOUR TIRES.

Check your vehicle tire placard to determine the tire load limits. Overloading your vehicle places stress on your tires and other vehicle components. Overloading can cause tire failure, due to the same overflexing resulting from underinflation.

DO NOT SPIN YOUR TIRES EXCESSIVELY.

Avoid excessive spinning of the powered wheels when your vehicle is stuck in snow, ice, mud, or sand. Depending on your vehicle’s drive train design, it is possible for the tire to be spinning twice as fast as your speedometer indicates. SAFETY WARNING: Never stand near or behind a tire that is spinning at high speed, such as pushing a vehicle from behind or when an on-the-car spin balancer is used. The centrifugal forces on a free spinning tire and wheel assembly may result in tire explosion, vehicle damage, and personal injury or death. Never exceed 35 MPH (56 KPH) indicated on your speedometer. Use a gentle back and forth rocking motion to free your vehicle for continued driving.

CHECK YOUR TIRES FOR WEAR.

Always remove your tires from service when they reach 2/32” (1.6mm) remaining tread depth. Falken tires have a tread depth indicator bar at the base of tread grooves that becomes apparent at 2/32” depth. If those bars are exposed, the area will look smooth across the tread face.
Excessively worn tires have decreased wet weather traction, and continued use may result in skidding and loss of control, and accident and personal injury or death. Also, they may be more susceptible to tread penetrations and possible deflation.

DO NOT APPLY SIDEWALL DRESSING OR HARSH CHEMICAL CLEANERS.

Falken tire sidewalls are specially compounded to resist ozone and weather cracking. Use of some dressings or cleaners may degrade rubber and remove inherent ozone resistance, resulting in premature cracking or discoloration. Use a mild soap solution to clean sidewalls and white lettering, and rinse with plain water.

CHECK YOUR TIRES FOR DAMAGE.

Frequent inspection of your tires for signs of damage and their general condition is important for safety. If you have questions about tire condition, have your dealer inspect them. Impact abrasions, penetrations, cracks, knots, bulges or unexplained air loss always require tire removal and close expert inspection.

PROPER TIRE REPAIR.

Never perform a temporary or plug-type repair or use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair. Only qualified persons should repair tires.
Repairs may only be made between the tread shoulders, and be for penetrations ¼” or less in diameter. Repair only straight-through punctures, and ensure no tires are repaired that show evidence of run-low wrinkling or heat deterioration, cutting, cracking, separation, or other damage. Injuries to the sidewalls must not be repaired.

Repairs must fully seal the interior and fill the damage wound. You must use either a patch-plug combination, or separately fill the wound with rubber and put a patch in the interior, to ensure that neither air leaks out nor water enters the tire structure.

Repairs must be done from inside the tire, to ensure the tire is thoroughly inspected for secondary damage and the tire is properly sealed. DO NOT USE PLUG REPAIRS APPLIED FROM OUTSIDE THE TIRE WITHOUT DEMOUNTING. Falken does not endorse or warrant any particular type of repair process. The repair is entirely the responsibility of the repairer.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOUNT YOUR OWN TIRES.

SAFETY WARNING: Serious injury or death may result from explosion of the tire/rim assembly due to improper mounting procedures. Tires should be mounted only by properly trained persons using adequate mounting equipment.

Follow manufacturers instructions and match bead diameter to rim diameter. Lubricate bead and rim mounting surfaces with standard tire lubricants. Do not use petroleum-based lubricants, which may deteriorate the tires.

Lock the wheel on a mounting machine or place in a safety cage for inflation. Do not exceed 40 PSI (275kPa) to seat the beads. Stand away from the tire in case of explosion. Never use a volatile substance to assist in seating the bead, as risk of tire explosion is great.

DO NOT MIX TIRES OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND TYPES.

Falken and the RMA recommends use of four tires of the same type and size unless otherwise specified for certain vehicle applications. WHEN REPLACING TIRES, ALWAYS CONSULT VEHICLE, TIRE, AND RIM MANUFACTURERS’ REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFETY.
FOLLOW THESE ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:

Fit newest tires on the rear axle. If radials and non-radials must be fitted to the same vehicle, fit radials on the rear. If different tire profiles are fitted on the same vehicle, use the widest tires on the rear axle.
When fitting snow tires or all-season tires to vehicles, always fit in sets of four, to avoid handling problems in both snow and dry road conditions.

Never mix tires of different size or type on the same axle.

VEHICLE SUSPENSION, WHEEL ALIGNMENT, BALANCE, TIRE ROTATION, AND TIRE

CONDITION

Lack of rotation, worn suspension parts, underinflation/overinflation, wheel imbalance, and misalignment may cause vibration and irregular tire wear. Rotate your tires every 5,000 miles. Directional tires should be rotated front-to-rear only, not crossed.

Speed ratings for Falken tires are determined for new tires using ECE 30 European Indoor Testing procedures, and may not be valid for damaged, altered, repaired, underinflated, overloaded, excessively worn, or retreaded tires.

Falken does not recommend the use of any of its products in excess of legal speed limits. Adverse driving conditions, such as rain, snow, or ice always require special handling care and greatly reduced speeds.

TIRE UP-SIZING (“Plus-Sizing”) GUIDELINES & SAFETY WARNINGS

Every new vehicle sold in the USA is required to have a vehicle tire placard attached to the door edge, door jamb, or glove box, which shows the original tire size, load capacity, and recommended air pressure for the design dynamic loads on each axle.

When making a replacement tire choice, always first check your placard to get the original tire information – it is always possible that what you currently have mounted on the vehicle is not original equipment.
Then, using the following Falken guidelines for tire replacement choose a new tire size and load capacity that will meet or exceed the original requirements.

TIRE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY:

Replacement tires must have a load carrying capacity equal to or greater than the capacity of the original tires, at their recommended pressures. Using the wrong size tire can lead to tire failure.

The door mounted tire information placard shows the size, load index, and recommended pressures for each axle. While it is generally recommended that any replacement tires have the same load index as the original tires, circumstances may allow a lower load index, but only if the replacement tires can carry the same actual loads as the original tires, although at different air pressures. Such a determination requires a sophisticated analysis of the load and inflation charts for the original and prospective replacement tires, which should be done only by a trained tire professional. We recommend you consult with Falken or an authorized dealer for guidance in this area.

Additionally, Load Indexes may be “Standard” or “Reinforced”. Some Reinforced ratings will require additional air pressure to carry the same loads as Standard ratings. Consult Falken or an authorized dealer for specific guidance about air pressure requirements for Reinforced Load Index tires.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you require different air pressures for your new tires to carry the tire loads, you have the responsibility to ensure those pressures are ALWAYS used.

We recommend you place an additional new tire information sticker (available from Falken, or make your own) near your placard, with the new tire sizes and required air pressures noted, so that any maintenance persons will know there has been a change.

If that is not done or you do not personally check your pressures, there is a high risk that your pressures will be set at the original requirements, and your tires will be underinflated, which can result in tire failure and accident.

TIRE SPEED RATINGS:

Replacement tires must have a speed rating equal to or greater than the rating of the original tires to maintain vehicle speed capability. If the replacement tires are a lower speed rating than shown on the vehicle tire placard, the vehicle speed capability is restricted to that of the replacement tires.

You must choose a speed rating that meets your operating needs and ensure you do not exceed the rated speed of your tires.

Also, while speed ratings are not a direct indicator of tire handling capabilities, it is generally true that a higher rating may translate to different handling characteristics. If you decrease the speed rating, you must ensure that you are familiar with the handling characteristics of your vehicle and adjust your driving to the lower rating.

TIRE OVERALL DIAMETER:

As noted previously, vehicle manufacturers choose tires with a certain overall diameter for the particular design vehicle. Vehicle systems such as ABS, odometer speedometer, and onboard sensors and computers may be affected by a change in overall diameter. Falken does not recommend use of tires that change your vehicle design criteria.

If you choose a replacement tire size that exceeds your vehicle design criteria range for tire diameter, you may have to alter vehicle systems, suspension, and alignment to safely use it.

On Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and light trucks, any increase in tire overall diameter, and the lifting of vehicle suspension to accommodate the larger size, may result in changes of vehicle ride height, with resultant changes in rollover characteristics, braking distances, and handling. You must ensure any tire size and suspension changes allow you to maintain safe operating control under all driving conditions.

LIMITED WARRANTY