UNDERSTANDING YOUR TIRES
TIRE SPEED SYMBOLS
Tires that are speed-rated are identified by the following
letter symbols: Q, S, T, U, H, V, W, Y, (Y) , or (ZR) . The
Speed Rating’s Symbol can be found as a part of the tire
size designation (ex: 215/65HR16) or after the load
index immediately following the tire size designation (ex:
215/65R16 97H) . The Speed Rating’s Symbol indi-
cates the maximum speed that a tire can handle when
properly inflated and loaded.
●For detailed information on UNDERSTANDING
YOUR TIRES please visit www.Falkentire.com
DATE OF TIRE MANUFACTURE
The date that a tire was manufactured can be deter-
mined by examining the last 4 digits of the 12 digit DOT
serial code, which is found on at least one sidewall of a
tire. For tires that were produced after the year 2000,
the last 4 digits of the serial code will identify the week
and the year that the tire was manufactured. If the last 4
digits in the DOT serial code were to read “3013” it
would mean that the tire was manufactured the 30th
week of 2013. If you are uncertain, check with a quali-
fied tire service professional to be sure.
DOT Symbol and DOT Serial Code
The “DOT” symbol claims that the tire conforms to all
applicable US Department of Transportation motor ve-
hicle safety standards for tires. The identification/serial
number follows the “DOT” symbol. Here is an example
of a DOT serial code:
DOT R8 ER DMNR 30 13
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
A. DOT Symbol
B. Manufacturer Plant Code
C. Tire Size Code
D. Tire Manufacturer’s Code
E. Week of Production (01–52)
F. Year of Production (the last two digits of the year)
TIRE SIDEWALL LABELING
●For detailed information on TIRE SIDEWALL LABEL-
ING please visit www.Falkentire.com
MAX LOAD AND INFLATION
The maximum load and inflation pressure is marked on
the tire sidewall in English and metric units.
PLY COMPOSITION AND MATERIALS
The number of plies and their generic composition of
cord materials in the sidewall and tread areas can be
found on at least one sidewall of a tire.
RADIAL MARKING
A radial ply tire will have the word “radial” marked on at
least one sidewall. An “R” found in the tire size marking
also refers to the tire being a radial ply tire. UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING SYSTEM
(UTQG)
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (UTQG)
were created to help you make an informed decision
when purchasing passenger car tires by providing rela-
tive information about a tire’s tread wear, traction, and
temperature characteristics. Here is a breakdown of the
different categories that the UTQG grades:
●TREAD WEAR
The tread wear grade is a comparative 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 150would 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 characteristics and climate.
●TRACTION
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B. and CThose grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specific government test surfaces of as-
phalt and concrete. A tire marked Cmay have poor
traction performance. WARNING:The traction grades
assigned to this tire is based on straight ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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54 FALKEN TIRE LIMITED WARRANTY
●TEMPERATURE
The temperature grades are A(the highest) , B, andC,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions or on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce in tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade Ccorresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109.
Grades Band Arepresent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than minimum required by
law. WARNING: The temperature grade for each tie is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, under-inflation, or exces-
sive loading either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
TIRE MANUFACTURE CONTACT
INFORMATION
U.S. and Canada
Falken Tire Corporation
8656 Haven Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
800-723-2553
FALKEN TIRE LIMITED WARRANTY 55
