How to Fill Out and Submit the Hankook Tire Warranty Claim Form

To file a Hankook tire warranty claim, bring the defective tire, your original purchase receipt, and your tire rotation records to the authorized Hankook dealer who sold you the tires, or to another authorized retailer if that isn’t possible. Hankook does not accept claims directly from consumers, and there is no online submission portal.¹ The dealer inspects the tire, completes the claim form with you, and forwards everything to Hankook. A decision typically takes eight to twelve weeks.

Where to Take the Claim

Every Hankook warranty claim runs through the dealer network. Where you go depends on how you acquired the tires:

If you bought the tires from a retailer, return to that dealer or another location in the same chain.
If the tires came factory-installed on a new vehicle, Hankook directs you back to the vehicle dealership where you bought the car.¹
If neither is workable, use the dealer locator at hankooktire.com or call 1-800-426-5665 (option 1) to find an authorized location.¹

Do not ship the tire to Hankook on your own. The dealer will tell you if Hankook requests it and will handle the freight arrangements.²

What to Bring With You

Showing up with complete records is the difference between a claim that moves and one that gets kicked back. Gather these before your visit:

The original purchase receipt showing the date, tire model, and retailer. This sets the warranty start date and establishes you as the original purchaser. Without a receipt, Hankook falls back on the manufacture date stamped in the DOT code, which usually shortens your coverage window.³
Tire rotation records showing rotations at intervals of 7,500 miles or less across the life of the tires. This is required for any treadwear mileage claim, and it is the single most common reason those claims get denied. Save every rotation receipt from day one.⁴
The current odometer reading, and the mileage at installation if it differs from what your purchase receipt shows.
The tire itself. The dealer has to physically inspect it, and Hankook may ask for it to be shipped for further evaluation.

Two pieces of information will come off the sidewall. The dealer records both, but it helps to know where to look. The DOT code is an 8-to-13-character string stamped near the rim on the inner sidewall, ending in four digits that give the week and year of manufacture; “2319” means the 23rd week of 2019.⁵ If the DOT code has been cut off, buffed, or is otherwise unreadable, the claim is automatically rejected regardless of the tire’s condition.³ Hankook’s own guidance is to mark over the DOT number with crayon so it reads clearly on the paperwork. Remaining tread depth is measured in 32nds of an inch in the grooves nearest the center of the tire.² A tire worn to 2/32 of an inch has reached the end of its usable tread and no longer qualifies under the workmanship warranty.

What the Dealer Does at the Counter

The dealer inspects the tire to confirm the defect matches visible evidence and that the damage isn’t the result of an excluded condition like a road-hazard impact or underinflation. They take the official tread depth measurement, then complete a claim form covering the vehicle (year, make, model, VIN), the tire (size, tread pattern, DOT number, barcode), and the mileage history (purchase date, installation date, removal date, odometer readings). You supply the information; the dealer writes it down; you both sign. Your signature certifies the information is accurate. Be specific when describing the problem: “tread separation on inner shoulder” is more useful to the reviewer than “tire went bad.”

Check the VIN carefully. The warranty applies only to the vehicle the tire was originally installed on; moving the tire to a different vehicle voids coverage.³

Timeline and What You Pay

Expect eight to twelve weeks from submission to credit. That’s longer than most drivers anticipate, so if you need a replacement tire before the claim clears, plan to pay for it upfront and receive the credit later.

Even on an approved claim, some costs are yours. During the free-replacement period (the first year of ownership and the first 2/32 of an inch of tread wear), the replacement tire itself is free, but you pay sales tax, mounting, and balancing.³ After that window closes, you pay the difference between the replacement tire’s retail price and the pro-rated credit, plus the same taxes and service fees. Many states also add a tire disposal fee of a few dollars per tire. The credit can only be applied to a new Hankook tire of the same size and type; it isn’t redeemable for cash or another brand.

What the Warranty Won’t Cover

Knowing the exclusions before you go saves a wasted trip. Hankook’s warranty does not cover:⁶

Road hazards: punctures, cuts, impact breaks, and carcass bruises from debris or potholes.
Improper inflation, including continued driving on a flat.
Irregular wear caused by misalignment, wheel imbalance, defective brakes, or worn shocks.
Racing, off-road use, or any use on unpaved roads.
Sealants, tire filler, or internal balancing substances added after purchase.
Damage from tire chains.
Overloading beyond the tire’s rated capacity.
Mounting on a vehicle other than the one the tire was originally installed on.
Weather cracking on tires more than four years old.
Passenger tires used in commercial service.³

One structural boundary worth noting: tires that came factory-installed on a new vehicle are covered against defects in workmanship and materials, but they are not eligible for the treadwear mileage warranty, road hazard coverage, or Hankook’s 30-day trial.² You can still file a defect claim on original-equipment tires; the mileage guarantee simply doesn’t apply.

How the Credit Is Calculated

Hankook uses two different formulas depending on which warranty you’re claiming under.

For a workmanship and materials claim outside the free-replacement window, Hankook multiplies a predetermined adjustment price by the percentage of original tread depth still remaining.⁷ If a tire started with 10/32 of an inch of usable tread and 6/32 remains, that’s 60 percent unused, so the credit is 60 percent of the adjustment price.

For a treadwear mileage claim (tires that wore to 2/32 before hitting their warranted mileage), the formula is:⁷

(Warranted Miles − Actual Miles Driven) ÷ Warranted Miles × Predetermined Adjustment Price = Credit

On a tire warranted for 70,000 miles that wears out at 45,000, with a $150 adjustment price, the math is (70,000 − 45,000) ÷ 70,000 × $150 = $53.57. The adjustment price is set by Hankook and often differs from what you originally paid at retail.

If Your Claim Is Denied

Hankook denies claims for missing documentation, evidence of misuse, or damage that falls under an exclusion. The frequent triggers are missing rotation records on a treadwear claim, signs of driving on a flat, and wear patterns tied to alignment or suspension problems rather than a manufacturing defect.

If the denial looks wrong, ask the dealer for the specific reason Hankook gave. Paperwork denials, like an illegible DOT code or a gap in rotation receipts, can sometimes be fixed and the claim resubmitted. For disputes the dealer can’t resolve, contact Hankook directly at 1-800-426-5665. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act requires manufacturers to disclose warranty terms and provide a dispute procedure, and small claims court remains available if informal resolution fails.

1
Hankook Tire USA. Tire Warranty FAQ
2
Hankook Tire. Warranty Booklet
3
Hankook Tire. Limited Warranty
4
Hankook Tire. Warranty Booklet
5
Cooper Tire. DOT Numbers
6
Hankook Tire. Limited Warranty for Original Equipment Passenger Car and Light Truck Tires
7
Hankook Tire. Warranty Program