TIRE
SAFETY
Everything
Rides On It
Studies of tire safety show that maintaining proper tire pressure, observing tire and vehicle load limits (not carrying more weight in your vehicle than your tires or vehicle can safely handle), avoiding road hazards, and inspecting tires for cuts, slashes, and other irregularities are the most important things you can do to avoid tire failure, such as tread separation or blowout and flat tires. These actions, along with other care and maintenance activities, can also:
This booklet presents a comprehensive overview of tire safety, including information on the following topics:
Use this information to make tire safety a regular part of your vehicle maintenance routine. Recognize that the time you spend is minimal compared with the inconvenience and safety consequences of a flat tire or other tire failure.
Safety FirstBasic Tire Maintenance
Properly maintained tires improve the steering, stopping, traction, and load-carrying capability of your vehicle. Underinflated tires and overloaded vehicles are a major cause of tire failure. Therefore, as mentioned above, to avoid flat tires and other types of tire failure, you should maintain proper tire pressure, observe tire and vehicle load limits, avoid road hazards, and regularly inspect your tires.
Finding Your Vehicle's Recommended Tire Pressure and Load Limits
Tire information placards and vehicle certification labels contain information on tires and load limits. These labels indicate the vehicle manufacturer's information including:
Both placards and certification labels are permanently attached to the vehicle door edge, door post, glove-box door, or inside of the trunk lid. You can also find the recommended tire pressure and load limit for your vehicle in the vehicle owner's manual.
Understanding Tire Pressure and Load Limits
Tire inflation pressure is the level of air in the tire that provides it with load-carrying capacity and affects the overall performance of the vehicle. The tire inflation pressure is a number that indicates the amount of air pressure measured in pounds per square inch (psi)a tire requires to be properly inflated. (You will also find this number on the vehicle information placard expressed in kilopascals (kPa), which is the metric measure used internationally.)
Manufacturers of passenger vehicles and light trucks determine this number based on the vehicle's design load limit, that is, the greatest amount of weight a vehicle can safely carry and the vehicle's tire size.The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is referred to as the "recommended cold inflation pressure." (As you will read below, it is difficult to obtain the recommended tire pressure if your tires are not cold.)
Because tires are designed to be used on more than one type of vehicle, tire manufacturers list the "maximum permissible inflation pressure" on the tire sidewall. This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Checking Tire Pressure
It is important to check your vehicle's tire pressure at least once a month for the following reasons:
For convenience, purchase a tire pressure gauge to keep in your vehicle. Gauges can be purchased at tire dealerships, auto supply stores, and other retail outlets.
The recommended tire inflation pressure that vehicle manufacturers provide reflects the proper psi when a tire is cold. The term cold does not relate to the outside temperature. Rather, a cold tire is one that has not been driven on for at least three hours. When you drive, your tires get warmer, causing the air pressure within them to increase. Therefore, to get an accurate tire pressure reading, you must measure tire pressure when the tires are cold or compensate for the extra pressure in warm tires.
Steps for Maintaining Proper Tire Pressure
If you have been driving your vehicle and think that a tire is underinflated, fill it to the recommended cold inflation pressure indicated on your vehicle's tire information placard or certification label. While your tire may still be slightly underinflated due to the extra pounds of pressure in the warm tire, it is safer to drive with air pressure that is slightly lower than the vehicle manufacturer's recommended cold inflation pressure than to drive with a significantly underinflated tire. Since this is a temporary fix, don't forget to recheck and adjust the tire's pressure when you can obtain a cold reading.
Tire Size
To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle's original tires or another size recommended by the manufacturer. Look at the tire information placard, the owner's manual, or the sidewall of the tire you are replacing to find this information. If you have any doubt about the correct size to choose, consult with the tire dealer.
Tire Tread
The tire tread provides the gripping action and traction that prevent your vehicle from slipping or sliding, especially when the road is wet or icy. In general, tires are not safe and should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. Tires have built-in treadwear indicators that let you know when it is time to replace your tires. These indicators are raised sections spaced intermittently in the bottom of the tread grooves. When they appear "even" with the outside of the tread, it is time to replace your tires. Another method for checking tread depth is to place a penny in the tread with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, you are ready for new tires.
Tire Balance and Wheel Alignment
To avoid vibration or shaking of the vehicle when a tire rotates, the tire must be properly balanced. This balance is achieved by positioning weights on the wheel to counterbalance heavy spots on the wheel-and-tire assembly. A wheel alignment adjusts the angles of the wheels so that they are positioned correctly relative to the vehicle's frame. This adjustment maximizes the life of your tires and prevents your car from veering to the right or left when driving on a straight, level road. These adjustments require special equipment and should be performed by a qualified technician.
Tire Rotation
Rotating tires from front to back and from side to side
can reduce irregular wear (for vehicles that have tires that are all the same
size). Look in your owner's manual for information on how frequently the
tires on your vehicle should be rotated and the best pattern for rotation.
A Tire Rotation Example
For maximum mileage, rotate your tires every 5,000 miles. Follow correct rotation
patterns.
Tire Repair
The proper repair of a punctured tire requires a plug for the hole and a patch for the area inside the tire that surrounds the puncture hole. Punctures through the tread can be repaired if they are not too large, but punctures to the sidewall should not be repaired. Tires must be removed from the rim to be properly inspected before being plugged and patched.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
To help consumers compare a passenger car tire's treadwear rate, traction performance, and temperature resistance, the federal government requires tire manufacturers to grade tires in these three areas. This grading system, known as the Uniform Tire Quality Grading System, provides guidelines for making relative comparisons when purchasing new tires. You also can use this information to inquire about the quality of tires placed on new vehicles.
Although this rating system is very helpful when buying new tires, it is not a safety rating or guarantee of how well a tire will perform or how long it will last. Other factors such as personal driving style, type of car, quality of the roads, and tire maintenance habits have a significant influence on your tire's performance and longevity.
Treadwear grades are an indication of a tire's relative wear rate. The higher the treadwear number is, the longer it should take for the tread to wear down. For example, a tire grade of 400 should wear twice as long as a tire grade of 200.
Traction grades are an indication of a tire's ability to stop on wet pavement. A higher graded tire should allow you to stop your car on wet roads in a shorter distance than a tire with a lower grade. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as "AA", "A", "B", and "C".
Temperature grades are an indication of a tire's resistance to heat. Sustained high temperature (for example, driving long distances in hot weather), can cause a tire to deteriorate, leading to blowouts and tread separation. From highest to lowest, a tire's resistance to heat is graded as "A", "B", or "C".
Tire Fundamentals
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized information on the sidewall of all tires. This information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics of the tire and also provides a tire identification number for safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
Information on Passenger Vehicle Tires
Please refer to the diagram below.
P
The "P"
indicates the tire is for passenger vehicles.
Next number
This
three-digit number gives the width in millimeters of the tire from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire.
Next number
This
two-digit number, known as the aspect ratio, gives the tire's ratio of
height to width. Numbers of 70 or lower indicate a short sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
R
The "R"
stands for radial. Radial ply construction of tires has been the industry standard
for the past 20 years.
Next number
This
two-digit number is the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel diameter.
Next number
This
two- or three-digit number is the tire's load index. It is a measurement
of how much weight each tire can support. You may find this information in your
owner's manual. If not, contact a local tire dealer. Note: You may not
find this information on all tires because it is not required by law.
M+S
The "M+S"
or "M/S" indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capability.
Most radial tires have these markings; hence, they have some mud and snow capability.
Speed Rating
The speed rating denotes the speed at which a tire
is designed to be driven for extended periods of time. The ratings range from
99 miles per hour (mph) to 186 mph. These ratings are listed below. Note: You
may not find this information on all tires because it is not required by law.
Letter Rating
|
Speed Rating
|
Q
|
99 mph
|
R
|
106 mph
|
S
|
112 mph
|
T
|
118 mph
|
U
|
124 mph
|
H
|
130 mph
|
V
|
149 mph
|
W
|
168*
mph
|
Y
|
186*
mph
|
* For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph, tire manufacturers sometimes use the letters ZR. For those with a maximum speed capability over 186 mph, tire manufacturers always use the letters ZR.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
This
begins with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the tire meets all
federal standards. The next two numbers or letters are the plant code where
it was manufactured, and the last four numbers represent the week and year the
tire was built. For example, the numbers 3197 means the 31st week of 1997. The
other numbers are marketing codes used at the manufacturer's discretion.
This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect requires a recall.
Tire Ply Composition and Materials Used
The
number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the
tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the more weight a tire can
support. Tire manufacturers also must indicate the materials in the tire, which
include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
Maximum Load Rating
This
number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds that can be carried
by the tire.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This
number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the
tire under normal driving conditions.
UTQGS Information
Treadwear Number
This
number indicates the tire's wear rate. The higher the treadwear number
is, the longer it should take for the tread to wear down. For example, a tire
graded 400 should last twice as long as a tire graded 200.
Traction Letter
This
letter indicates a tire's ability to stop on wet pavement. A higher graded
tire should allow you to stop your car on wet roads in a shorter distance than
a tire with a lower grade. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as "AA","A",
"B", and "C".
Temperature Letter
This
letter indicates a tire's resistance to heat. The temperature grade is
for a tire that is inflated properly and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation
or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat build-up
and possible tire failure. From highest to lowest, a tire's resistance
to heat is graded as "A", "B", or "C".
Additional Information on Light Truck Tires
Please refer to diagram below.
Tires for light trucks have other markings besides those found on the sidewalls of passenger tires.
LT
The "LT"
indicates the tire is for light trucks.
Max. Load Dual kg(lbs) at kPa(psi) Cold
This
information indicates the maximum load and tire pressure when the tire is used
as a dual, that is, when four tires are put on each rear axle (a total of six
or more tires on the vehicle).
Max. Load Single kg(lbs) at kPa(psi) Cold
This
information indicates the maximum load and tire pressure when the tire is used
as a single.
Load Range
This
information identifies the tire's load-carrying capabilities and its inflation
limits.
Snow Tires
In some
heavy snow areas, local governments may require true snow tires, those with
very deeply cut tread. These tires should only be used in pairs or placed on
all four wheels. Make sure you purchase snow tires that are the same size and
construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.