Tire labeling (example) Meaning
R Tire belt design letter code for radial.
18 Rim diameter (in inches)
109 H Load rating code ⇒ page 193 and speed rating code.
XL Indicates “reinforced” tire (heavy-duty)
M+S or M/S Indicates Mud and Snow capability (also M/S).
RADIAL TUBELESS Tubeless radial tire.
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)3 – 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).
3 TIN represents the serial number of the tire.
All-wheel drive (4MOTION)
Vehicles with all-wheel drive and standard road wheels have good forward motion and traction even under wintery road conditions. However, Volkswagen recommends installing winter tires or all season tires on all four wheels to improve handling as well as braking performance.
If you use snow chains, please read and heed information and directions, Snow chains.
WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires on your vehicle were designed can cause sudden tire failure including a blowout and sudden deflation, loss of control, crashes and serious personal injuries.
x Winter tires have a maximum speed rating that may be lower than your vehicle's maximum speed.
x Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires installed on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than their rated speed can fail suddenly.
x Never exceed the maximum load rating for the winter tires installed on your vehicle.
Install summer tires promptly in the spring. Summer tires offer better handling characteristics for temperatures above +45 °F (+7 °C). They are quieter, do not wear as quickly, and reduce fuel consumption.
If factory-installed wheels and/or tires are replaced when installing winter tires, make sure that the wheels are equipped with sensors that are compatible with the factory-installed Tire Pressure Monitoring System and that the tires are also compatible with the system. If new tires are not identical to those that were removed and require different cold tire inflation pressure, the tire inflation pressure values must be reprogrammed for the TPMS. Please see your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).Whenever you remove and remount or change any wheel or tire on the vehicle, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System must be recalibrated, even if the reinstalled or replacement wheels and tires are identical to those that were removed and even if the tire pressure does not change, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
If necessary, ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about permissible winter tire dimensions.
Snow chains