Page 569 of 624

PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
5699-1. Specifications
9
Vehicle specifications
■Tire dimensionsSection width
Tire height
Wheel diameter
Bead
Sidewall
Shoulder
Tread
Belt
Inner liner
Reinforcing rubber
Carcass
Rim lines
Bead wires
Chafer
This information has been prepared in accordance with regulations
issued by the National Highway Tr affic Safety Administration of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
It provides the purchasers and/or prospective purchasers of Toyota
vehicles with information on uniform tire quality grading.
Your Toyota dealer will help answer any questions you may have as you
read this information.
■
DOT quality grades
All passenger vehicle tires must c onform to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades. Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
1
2
3
Tire section names
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
8
9
10
11
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PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
9-1. Specifications
■Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a speci-
fied 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. Performance may differ significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
■
Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C,
and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditio ns on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning)
traction.
■
Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the hi ghest), B, and C, representing
the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissi-
pate heat when tested under cont rolled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degen-
erate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sud-
den tire failure.
Grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the labora-
tory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grades of a tire assume that it 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.
Page 571 of 624

PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
5719-1. Specifications
9
Vehicle specifications
Glossary of tire terminology
Tire related termMeaning
Cold tire inflation pres-
sureTire pressure when the vehicle has been parked
for three hours or more, or has not been driven
more than 1 mile or 1.5 km under that condition
Maximum inflation pres-
sureThe maximum cold inflated pressure to which a
tire may be inflated, shown on the sidewall of the
tire
Recommended inflation
pressureCold tire inflation pressure recommended by a
manufacturer
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those stan-
dard items which may be replaced) of automatic
transmission, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio and heater,
to the extent that these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether installed or
not)
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment, including the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil and coolant, and if so equipped, air con-
ditioning and additional weight optional engine
Maximum loaded vehi-
cle weight
The sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight
Normal occupant weight
150 lb. (68 kg) times the number of occupants
specified in the second column of Table 1
* that
follows
Occupant distributionDistribution of occupants in a vehicle as speci-
fied in the third column of Table 1
* below
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572
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
9-1. Specifications
Production options
weight
The combined weight of installed regular produc-
tion options weighing over 5 lb. (2.3 kg) in
excess of the standard items which they replace,
not previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes,
ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty 12-volt bat-
tery, and special trim
RimA metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are seated
Rim diameter
(Wheel diameter)Nominal diameter of the bead seat
Rim size designationRim diameter and width
Rim type designationThe industry manufacturer’s designation for a
rim by style or code
Rim widthNominal distance between rim flanges
Vehicle capacity weight
(Total load capacity)The rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lb.
(68 kg) times the vehicle’s designated seating
capacity
Vehicle maximum load
on the tireThe load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of the maxi-
mum loaded vehicle weight, and dividing by two
Vehicle normal load on
the tire
The load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of curb
weight, accessory weight, and normal occupant
weight (distributed in accordance with Table 1
*
below), and dividing by two
Weather sideThe surface area of the rim not covered by the
inflated tire
Bead
The part of the tire that is made of steel wires,
wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim
Tire related termMeaning
Page 573 of 624

PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
5739-1. Specifications
9
Vehicle specifications
Bead separationA breakdown of the bond between components
in the bead
Bias ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at alternate angles
substantially less than 90 degrees to the center-
line of the tread
CarcassThe tire structure, except tread and sidewall rub-
ber which, when inflated, bears the load
ChunkingThe breaking away of pieces of the tread or side-
wall
CordThe strands forming the plies in the tire
Cord separationThe parting of cords from adjacent rubber com-
pounds
CrackingAny parting within the tread, sidewall, or inner-
liner of the tire extending to cord material
CT
A pneumatic tire with an inverted flange tire and
rim system in which the rim is designed with rim
flanges pointed radially inward and the tire is
designed to fit on the underside of the rim in a
manner that encloses the rim flanges inside the
air cavity of the tire
Extra load tire
A tire designed to operate at higher loads and at
higher inflation pressures than the correspond-
ing standard tire
GrooveThe space between two adjacent tread ribs
Innerliner
The layer(s) forming the inside surface of a tube-
less tire that contains the inflating medium within
the tire
Innerliner separationThe parting of the innerliner from cord material in
the carcass
Tire related termMeaning
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574
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
9-1. Specifications
Intended outboard side-
wall
(a) The sidewall that contains a whitewall, bearswhite lettering, or bears manufacturer, brand,
and/or model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on the other
sidewall of the tire, or
(b) The outward facing sidewall of an asymmetri-
cal tire that has a particular side that must
always face outward when mounted on a
vehicle
Light truck (LT) tire
A tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily
intended for use on lightweight trucks or multi-
purpose passenger vehicles
Load ratingThe maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for
a given inflation pressure
Maximum load ratingThe load rating for a tire at the maximum permis-
sible inflation pressure for that tire
Maximum permissible
inflation pressureThe maximum cold inflation pressure to which a
tire may be inflated
Measuring rimThe rim on which a tire is fitted for physical
dimension requirements
Open spliceAny parting at any junction of tread, sidewall, or
innerliner that extends to cord material
Outer diameterThe overall diameter of an inflated new tire
Overall width
The linear distance between the exteriors of the
sidewalls of an inflated tire, including elevations
due to labeling, decorations, or protective bands
or ribs
Passenger car tire
A tire intended for use on passenger cars, multi-
purpose passenger vehicles, and trucks, that
have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of
10,000 lb. or less.
PlyA layer of rubber-coated parallel cords
Ply separationA parting of rubber compound between adjacent
plies
Tire related termMeaning
Page 575 of 624

PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
5759-1. Specifications
9
Vehicle specifications
Pneumatic tire
A mechanical device made of rubber, chemicals,
fabric and steel or other materials, that, when
mounted on an automotive wheel, provides the
traction and contains the gas or fluid that sus-
tains the load
Radial ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at substantially 90
degrees to the centerline of the tread
Reinforced tire
A tire designed to operate at higher loads and at
higher inflation pressures than the correspond-
ing standard tire
Section width
The linear distance between the exteriors of the
sidewalls of an inflated tire, excluding elevations
due to labeling, decoration, or protective bands
SidewallThat portion of a tire between the tread and bead
Sidewall separationThe parting of the rubber compound from the
cord material in the sidewall
Snow tire
A tire that attains a traction index equal to or
greater than 110, compared to the ASTM E-1136
Standard Reference Test Tire, when using the
snow traction test as described in ASTM F-1805-
00, Standard Test Method for Single Wheel Driv-
ing Traction in a Straight Line on Snow-and Ice-
Covered Surfaces, and which is marked with an
Alpine Symbol (
) on at least one sidewall
Test rim
The rim on which a tire is fitted for testing, and
may be any rim listed as appropriate for use with
that tire
TreadThat portion of a tire that comes into contact with
the road
Tread ribA tread section running circumferentially around
a tire
Tire related termMeaning
Page 576 of 624
576
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B23U_(U)
9-1. Specifications
*: Table 1 Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load forvarious designated seating capacities
Tread separationPulling away of the tread from the tire carcass
Treadwear indicators
(TWI)The projections within the principal grooves
designed to give a visual indication of the
degrees of wear of the tread
Wheel-holding fixtureThe fixture used to hold the wheel and tire
assembly securely during testing
Tire related termMeaning
Designated seating
capacity, Number of occupantsVehicle normal load,
Number of occupantsOccupant distribution in
a normally loaded vehicle
2 through 422 in front
5 through 1032 in front, 1 in second
seat
11 through 155
2 in front, 1 in second
seat, 1 in third seat, 1 in fourth seat
16 through 207
2 in front, 2 in second
seat, 2 in third seat, 1 in
fourth seat