DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )
Th e tire s o n you r ca r mee t al l U.S .
Federa l Safet y Requirements . Al l
tire s ar e als o grade d fo r treadwear ,
traction , an d temperatur e perform -
anc e accordin g t o Departmen t o f
Transportatio n (DOT ) standards .
Th e followin g explain s thes e
gradings .
Unifor m Tir e Qualit y Gradin g
Qualit y grade s ca n b e foun d wher e
applicabl e o n th e tir e sidewal l
betwee n th e trea d shoulde r an d th e
maximu m sectio n width . Fo r
example :
Treadwea r 20 0
Tractio n AA
Temperatur e A
Treadwea
r
Th e treadwea r grad e is a compara -
tiv e ratin g base d o n th e wea r rat e o f
th e tir e whe n teste d unde r controlle d
condition s o n a specifie d governmen t
tes t course . Fo r example , a tir e
grade d 15 0 woul d wea r on e an d on e
hal f (1-1/2 ) time s a s wel l o n th e
governmen t cours e a s a tir e grade d
100 . Th e relativ e performanc e o f
tire s depend s upo n th e actua l condi -
tion s o f thei r use , however , an d ma y
depar t significantl y fro m th e nor m
du e t o variation s i n drivin g habits ,
servic e practices , an d difference s i n
roa d characteristic s an d climate . Tractio
n
Th e tractio n grades , fro m highes t t o
lowest , ar e AA , A , B , an d C . Thos e
grade s represen t th e tire' s abilit y t o
sto p o n we t pavemen t a s measure d
unde r controlle d condition s o n
specifie d governmen t tes t surface s
o f asphal t an d concrete . A tir e
marke d C ma y hav e poo r tractio n
performance .
Warning : Th e tractio n grad e
assigne d t o thi s tir e i s base d o n
straight-ahea d brakin g tractio n tests ,
an d doe s no t includ e acceleration ,
cornering , hydroplaning , o r pea k
tractio n characteristics .
Technica l Informatio n
