Jack Williams

Tire Translation: Reading the Sidewalls

Each tire sidewall has its own set of unique information that can be a little tricky to interpret. Luckily for us, michelinman.com can help us translate exactly what our tires are saying.

The tire's information is divided into three categories. First, there are the tire specs. They describe the fundamental characteristics of the tire such as wheel diameter, construction, and speed. Second is the Department of Transportation safety code. This code assures you that your tires comply with the safety standards of the DoT. After the initials DOT comes the tire's identification number which begins with the tire's manufacturer and plant code. The week the tire was manufactured is the next code afterwhich comes the year the tire was manufactured.

Lastly comes the UTQG code. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system ensures that the tires are following government prescribed safety regulations. The three main components are treadware, traction, and temperature. The treadware code measures how quickly the tire wears down. 100 is the base grade. Traction is measured by a letters AA, A, B, or C. These letters measure a car's ability to stop straight on wet pavement. A letter C is considered unacceptable. Temperature is measured using letters A, B, and C. These letters measure how well a car's tire can dissipate heat. Again, a letter C is considered unacceptable.

You are now equipped with the lexicon of the tire! Go forth and understand all that you can about how your car operates.