8CONSUMER INFORMATION & REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
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I130B03A-AAT
Uniform tire quality grading
Department of Transportation quality grades -
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to
Federal Safety Standards in addition to these
grades. These quality grades are molded on the
sidewall.
Treadwear - The tread wear grade is a com-
parative rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1
- 1/2) times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B, C - The traction grades,
from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test sur-
faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.WARNING:The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature A, B, C - The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor labo-
ratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Fed-
eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.WARNING:The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading - Quality grades
can be found on the tire sidewall between the
tread shoulder and the maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
