DO
T Tir e Qualit y Gradin g (U.S . Cars )
Th e tire s o n you r vehicl e mee t al l
U.S . Federa l Safet y Requirements .
Al l tire s ar e als o grade d fo r
trea d wear , traction , an d temperatur e
performanc 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 A A
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
depart 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 is 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
