Tire labeling (example) Meaning
E4 ... Labeling according to international regulations (E) including
number of the approving country. The multi-digit approval number
is listed next.
DOT BT RA TY5 1709 Tire identification number (TIN)9 – In some cases the
manufacturing date is only on one side of the tire:
DOT The tire complies with the requirements of the United
States Department of Transportation, responsible for
issuing safety standards.
BT Identification letter of the manufacturing site.
RA Manufacturer information regarding tire dimensions.
TY5 Tire characteristics provided by the manufacturer.
1709 Manufacturing date: 17th week in 2009.
TWI Marks the position of the treadwear indicator
Made in Germany Country of manufacture.
MAX LOAD 615 KG (1356 LBS) United States maximum load rating per wheel.
MAX INFLATION 350 KPA
(51 PSI)
United States maximum permissible inflation pressure.
ROTATION Rotation direction (unidirectional tires)
SIDEWALL 1 PLY RAYON Tire ply composition and materials used:
1 layer of rayon.
TREAD 4 PLIES
1 RAYON + 2 STEEL +
1 NYLON
Tire tread composition and materials used:
In this example there are 4 layers under the tread: 1 layer of
rayon, 2 layers of steel belt and 1 layer of nylon.
Consumer information regarding comparison to specified base tires (standardized test
procedure)
TREADWEAR 220 Relative service life expectancy of the tire referenced to a U.S.-
specific standard test.
TRACTION A Traction rating under wet conditions (AA, A, B or C).
TEMPERATURE A Temperature stability of the tire at increased test bench speeds
(A, B or C).
Additional numbers found on the tire could either be tire manufacturer internal labels or
country-specific labels (such as for Brazil and China).
Unidirectional tires
Unidirectional tires are designed to rotate only in one direction. Unidirectional tires have arrows on the
sidewalls that show the direction of rotation. Make sure you mount the tire so that it rotates in the
proper direction. The tire's performance with regard to hydroplaning, traction, noise, and wear is worse
if it is not mounted in the proper direction of rotation.
If you have to mount a tire opposite to its proper direction of rotation, you must drive more carefully,
since the tire is no longer being used as designed. This is particularly important on wet roads. You
must replace or remount the tire as soon as possible in order to restore the correct direction of
rotation.
9 TIN represents the serial number of the tire.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an EDR, it is equipped with a number of electronic control
modules for various vehicle systems, such as engine management, emission control, airbags, and
safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record data during normal vehicle operation for diagnostic and
repair purposes. Their recording capability is limited to data (no sound is recorded). Only a small
amount of data is actually recorded over a very limited period of time, or stored when a system fault is
detected by a control module. Some of the data stored may relate to vehicle speed, direction, or
braking, as well as restraint system use and performance in the event of a crash. Stored data can only
be read and downloaded with special equipment.
Using a mobile phone in a motor vehicle when it is not connected to
the vehicle telephone antenna - some important things to know
