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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.
ather, 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.

Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure on the vehicle’s tire information placard,
certification label, or in the owner’s manual.
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Step 2: ecord the tire pressure of all tires.
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Step 3: f the tire pressure is too high in any of the tires, slowly release air by gently
pressing on the tire valve stem with the edge of your tire gauge until you get to
the correct pressure.
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Step 4: f the tire pressure is too low, note the difference between the measured tire
pressure and the correct tire pressure. These “missing” pounds of pressure are
what you will need to add.
t a service station, add the missing pounds of air pressure to each tire thatis
under inflated.

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Step 5:

Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure (except incases
in which the front and rear tires are supposed to have different amounts of
pressure).

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f you have been driving your vehicle and think that a tire is under inflated, 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 under inflated 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 under inflated 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.

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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. f you have any doubt about the correct size to choose, consult with the tire
dealer.

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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. n 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
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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. nother method
for checking tread depth is to place a penny in the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down
and facing you. f you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, you are ready for new tires.

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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 counter
balance heavy spots on the wheel-and-tire assembly. 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.

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otating 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.
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Tire otation xample
For maximum mileage, rotate your tires every 5,000 miles. Follow correct rotation patterns.

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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.

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To help consumers compare a passenger car tire’s treadwear rate, traction performance,
and temperature resistance, the federal government requires tire manufacturers to grade
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tires in these three areas. This grading system, known as the Uniform Tire Quality rading
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.
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lthough 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.

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AA

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Traction grades are an indication of a tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement. 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 “ ”, “ ”, “B”, and “C”.

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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 “ ”, “B”, or “C”.

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Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized information on the side wall
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
incase of a recall.
nformation on Passenger Vehicle Tires

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The “P” indicates the tire is for passenger vehicles.

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ext number
This three-digit number gives the width in millimeters of the tire from sidewall edge
tosidewall edge. n general, the larger the number, the wider the tire.

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ext number
This two-digit number, known as the aspect ratio, gives the tire’s ratio of height to width.
umbers of 70 or lower indicate a short sidewall for improved steering response and better
overall handling on dry pavement.

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The “ ” stands for radial. adial ply construction of tires has been the industry standard for
the past 20 years.

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ext number
This two-digit number is the wheel or rim diameter in inches. f you change your wheel size,
you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel diameter.

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ext number
This two- or three-digit number is the tire’s load index. t is a measurement of how much
weight each tire can support. You may find this information in your owner’s manual. f not,
contact a local tire dealer. ote: 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
radialtires have these markings; hence, they have some mud and snow capability.

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Speed ating
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. ote: You may not find this information on all tires because it is not required
by law.

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U
H
V
W
Y

Speed ating
99 mph
106 mph
112 mph
118 mph
124 mph
130 mph
149 mph
168* mph
186* mph
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Letter ating
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* For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph, tire manufacturers sometimes
use the letters Z . For those with a maximum speed capability over 186 mph, tire
manufacturers always use the letters Z .

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owner’s manual

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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.

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The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the
tire. n 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.

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This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds that can be carried by
the tire.

Informat on
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This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under
normal driving conditions.

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Treadwear umber
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.

A

AA

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Traction Letter
This letter indicates a tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement. 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 “ ”,” ”, “B”, and “C”.

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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. xcessive speed, under inflation 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 “ ”, “B”, or “C”.

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dditional nformation 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
asingle.
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Load ange
This information identifies the tire’s load-carrying capabilities and its inflation limits.

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Snow Tires
n 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.

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Determining the load limits of a vehicle includes more than understanding the load limits of
the tires alone.

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[For MH] On a motor horne, there is a Federal certification label that is affixed to either the
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver’s seating position. f none of these locations is practicable, this label will be located to
the left side of the instrument panel, or affixed to the inward-facing surface of the door next
to the driver’s seating position.

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[Both TT and MH] The certification label will indicate the vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating
( VW ). This is the most weight the fully loaded vehicle can weigh. t will also provide the
gross axle weight rating (
W ). This is the most a particular axle can weigh. f there are
multiple axles, the
W of each axle will be provided.

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[For MH] n the same location as the certification label described above, there is a vehicle
placard. This placard provides tire and loading information. n addition, this placard will
show the vehicle’s seating capacity for people and a statement regarding maximum cargo
capacity.

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[For MH] Cargo can be added to the vehicle, up to the maximum weight specified on the
placard. For motorized vehicles, the combine weight of passengers and cargo is provided