
15
BFGOODRICH TIRE
Consult your BFGoodrich tire retailer for maximum speed capabilities. 
Although a tire may be speed-rated, no vehicle should be operated in 
an unsafe or unlawful manner. Speed ratings are based on laboratory 
tests that relate to performance on the road, but are not applicable 
if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out, damaged, altered, 
improperly repaired, or retreaded. Furthermore, a tire’s speed rating 
does not imply that vehicles can be safely driven at the maximum
speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under adverse road 
and weather conditions or if the vehicle has unusual characteristics. 
BFGoodrich highway passenger tires that do not have a speed symbol 
on the sidewall have a maximum speed rating of 105 mph (170 kph). 
Light truck highway tires that do not have a speed symbol on the 
sidewall of the tire have a maximum speed rating of 87 mph (140 
kph). BFGoodrich winter tires that do not have a speed symbol on 
the sidewall or tires with Q symbols have a speed rating of 100 mph 
(160 km/hr). Winter tires with a speed symbol have a maximum speed 
rating in accordance with the symbol. The speed and other ratings of 
retreaded tires are assigned by the retreader and replace the original 
manufacturer’s ratings. IMPORTANT: The replacement tire speed 
rating should be equal to or higher than the OEM tire speed rating. If a\
 
lower speed rated tire is selected, then the vehicle top speed becomes 
limited to that of the lower speed rating selected. The customer must
be informed of the new speed restriction and that the vehicle’s handling 
may be adversely impacted. REMEMBER…High speed driving can 
be dangerous and may damage your tires. AND…When driving at 
highway speeds, correct inflation pressure is especially important.
Inspect Your Tires, and Do Not Drive on a Damaged 
Tire or Wheel
Road hazards and objects in the road, such as potholes, curbs, glass, 
metal, rocks, wood, and debris, can damage a tire and should be 
safely avoided. If your vehicle hits any such hazard or object, however,  

BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
43
• Never put flammable substances in tire/wheel assemblies at 
any time. Never put any flammable substance into a tire/wheel 
assembly and attempt to ignite to seat the beads.
•
 Always stand well away from the work area when tires are being 
spin balanced either on or off the vehicle.
High Performance, Low Aspect Ratio Tires
Many new vehicles come equipped from the factory with high 
performance and/or low aspect ratio tires. Generally, these tires 
provide increased vehicle handling capability, but may also have 
numerous engineering performance trade-offs associated with  
their designs. •
 Low aspect ratio tires, with reduced sidewall height, may be 
more susceptible to damage from potholes, road hazards, and 
other objects such as curbs. This is true for the wheels as well. 
Therefore, as with all other tires, it is important to drive with care 
and maintain proper inflation pressure and load conditions. See 
“Tire Inflation Pressure” and “Tire Damage, Inspection and Service 
Life” in this manual.
•
 Some sports cars and other handling performance enhanced 
vehicles, including sedans and light trucks/SUVs, may be originally 
equipped with high performance tires that are more optimized 
for warmer weather use. Colder, winter weather traction may be 
reduced for these types of tires. Winter tires may be recommended 
by the vehicle manufacturer for colder weather application. See 
“Winter Tires,” the next section in this manual.
•
 High performance tires may also wear more quickly, ride more 
firmly, and produce more noise during operation.
Consult your vehicle owner’s manual and tire information placard, or 
a qualified tire service professional, for more information and specifics 
regarding these types of tires. 

BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
44
Winter Tires 
 SAFETY WARNING
Winter driving presents special challenges for vehicle mobility. The use 
of winter tires (including studs and chains)—while improving traction 
performance in snow and ice—requires special care with regard to 
acceleration, braking, cornering, and speed. It is important to drive wi\
th 
care, not only on snow and ice, but on dry and wet roads as well.
In winter driving conditions, vehicle control and safe operation under 
braking and cornering is especially dependent upon the rear tires. For 
this reason, winter tires are best applied to all wheel positions. Some \
vehicles have specific recommendations regarding winter tire use; 
consult your vehicle owner’s manual and tire information placard.
•
 If winter tires are to be applied to the front axle of any vehicle, 
they must also be applied to the rear axle for safe operation. This 
applies to all passenger cars and light trucks, including front wheel 
drive, 4x4, and all-wheel-drive vehicles.
•
 If winter tires are to be applied to the rear axle of any vehicle, it is\
 
recommended that they also be installed on the front axle.
•
 It is generally acceptable to apply a tire with a lower speed rating 
than your original tires for use in winter weather conditions; 
however, speed should be reduced accordingly. All winter tires 
should be the same speed rating. See “Tire Speed Ratings” in  
this manual.
•
 Winter tires used in warmer, summer weather conditions may wear 
more rapidly.
•
 Studded winter tires follow the same recommendations as 
above; consult a qualified tire service professional for information 
regarding any seasonal restrictions.
Tire Mixing
 
 SAFETY WARNING
Driving your vehicle with an improper mix of tires is dangerous. Your 
vehicle’s handling characteristics can be seriously affected. You could  

BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE
46
Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed rated tire.
•
 Non-speed rated tires are usually for ordinary passenger car or 
light truck service and not for high speed driving.
•
 For winter tires used in cold weather conditions, it is generally 
acceptable to apply a tire with a lower speed rating than your 
original tires; however, speed should be reduced accordingly. All 
winter tires should be the same speed rating. Some vehicles have 
specific recommendations regarding winter tire use; consult your 
vehicle owner’s manual and tire information placard. See “Winter 
Tires” in this manual.
These speed ratings are based on standardized laboratory tests 
under specific, controlled conditions. While these tests may relate to 
performance on the road, real-world driving is rarely identical to any 
test conditions. Your tire’s actual speed capability may be less than its 
rated speed since it is affected by factors such as inflation pressure, 
load, tire condition (including damage), wear, vehicle condition 
(including alignment), driving conditions, and duration at which the 
speed is sustained. Use the following chart to compare the speed 
ratings of tires.
Speed  Speed Category*
Symbol   mph                    km/h
M81130
Q 99160
R 106170
S 112180
T 118190
U 124200
H 130210
V 149240
Z** >149 >240
W 168270
Y 186300
(Y)*** >186 >300 

FALKEN
78
• A plug and patch or plug/patch combo should be used to effectively 
repair a tire puncture.
•
 If anything seems questionable at any time during the repair 
process, ask your service advisor for more details and/or call the 
tire manufacturer to make sure the tire’s warranty isn’t  
being voided.
Tire Mix Usage
 SAFETY WARNING
Never mix tires of different size or construction and/or type on any axle. 
(Except for temporary use as a spare tire.) Always refer to the vehicle’s 
owner manual for proper tire fitments.
Tire Speed Ratings
Falken recommends replacing your tire(s) with the same speed rating 
as the original tires equipped on your vehicle.
It is okay to use a lower speed rated tire when using winter tires. 
However, speeds should be reduced to match the tires new “maximum” 
speed capability.
Any tire that is repaired, damaged, abused, altered from its original 
state or retreaded voids the speed rating on that particular tire and 
should be considered a non-speed rated tire.
 SAFETY WARNING
Falken does not recommend the use of mixing different speed ratings 
on a vehicle. This can cause poor handling and unpredictable steering.
High Performance, Low Aspect Ratio Tires
Various new vehicles come equipped with high performance and/or 
low aspect ratio tires from the factory. These tires generally provide 
increased vehicle handling characteristics, but may also have 
engineering performance trade-offs related with their designs. Low 
aspect ratio tires have reduced sidewall heights and may be more 
vulnerable to damage from road hazards, potholes, and other objects,  

FALKEN
79
like curbs. Your vehicle’s wheels are susceptible to these same 
dangers as well. Some vehicles may be originally equipped with high 
performance tires that are designed for warmer weather use reducing 
traction in colder, winter weather conditions. High performance tires 
also pose the possibility of wearing more quickly, giving a stiffer ride, 
and producing louder noise than standard all-season tires during 
operation. Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual, tire information 
placard, or qualified tire service professional for more information about 
these kinds of tires.
Winter Tires
Falken recommends all four tires be replaced when replacing your 
original equipment tires and installing winter tires for the winter mont\
hs.
 SAFETY WARNING
Never use just two winter tires. It could lead to adverse handling, loss 
of control, which could cause serious injury or death.
Storing Your Tires
When storing your tires for any extended period of time, be sure to 
thoroughly clean your tires with a tire brush, soap, and water to remove\
 
any dirt, salt, and brake dust from the tires. If you are storing your 
tires still mounted on the wheels, use a wheel brush and approved 
wheel cleaner to clean your wheels. Then dry the wheels and tires 
with a towel and allow them to fully dry. DO NOT apply any tire 
dressings while storing your tires. Tire compounds are made to resist 
weather cracking and ozone damage. Place each clean and dry tire 
in an airtight plastic bag and seal the bag with tape to help reduce oil\
 
evaporation. Store your tires out of direct sunlight and somewhere that \
is well shielded from the elements, like a climate-controlled room or 
dry basement. Storing the tires in a garage or shed usually exposes 
the tires to a wide range of temperatures as well as precipitation and 
humidity. Keep the tires away from sources that emit ozone like electric 
motors that use contact brushes, furnaces, sump pumps, etc. Although 
tires will still age regardless of how they are stored, these precaution\
s 
will help slow the aging process and reduce the damage to your tires. 

MICHELIN
131
Consult your Michelin tire retailer for maximum speed capabilities. 
Although a tire may be speed-rated, no vehicle should be operated in 
an unsafe or unlawful manner. Speed ratings are based on laboratory 
tests that relate to performance on the road, but are not applicable 
if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out, damaged, altered, 
improperly repaired, or retreaded. Furthermore, a tire’s speed rating 
does not imply that vehicles can be safely driven at the maximum 
speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under adverse road 
and weather conditions or if the vehicle has unusual characteristics. 
Michelin highway passenger tires that do not have a speed symbol on 
the sidewall have a maximum speed rating of 105 mph (170 kph). Light 
truck highway tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall of 
the tire have a maximum speed rating of 87 mph (140 kph). Michelin 
winter tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall or tires 
with Q symbols have a speed rating of 100 mph (160 km/hr). Winter 
tires with a speed symbol have a maximum speed rating in accordance 
with the symbol. The speed and other ratings of retreaded tires are 
assigned by the retreader and replace the original manufacturer’s 
ratings. IMPORTANT: The replacement tire speed rating should be 
equal to or higher than the OEM tire speed rating. If a lower speed 
rated tire is selected, then the vehicle top speed becomes limited 
to that of the lower speed rating selected. The customer must be 
informed of the new speed restriction and that the vehicle’s handling 
may be adversely impacted. REMEMBER…High speed driving can 
be dangerous and may damage your tires. AND…When driving at 
highway speeds, correct inflation pressure is especially important.
Inspect Your Tires, And Do Not Drive On A Damaged 
Tire Or Wheel
Road hazards and objects in the road, such as potholes, curbs, glass, 
metal, rocks, wood, and debris, can damage a tire and should be 
safely avoided. If your vehicle hits any such hazard or object, however, 
you should promptly inspect your tires. If you see any damage to any  

MICHELIN
135
Check How Your Tires Are Wearing at Least  
Once Each Month
If your tires are wearing unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the 
tire wearing faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessi\
ve 
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance. These 
conditions not only shorten the life of your tires but adversely affect the 
handling characteristics of your vehicle, which could be dangerous. If 
you detect irregular wear or vibration, have your alignment and balance 
checked immediately. Tires which have been run underinflated will 
show more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread. Read 
and follow the instructions on tire rotation and replacement below.
Tire Mixing
MICHELIN® tires are radial tires. For best, safe performance, the same 
size and type of tire should be used on all four wheel positions, and th\
e 
full size spare should be the same size and type. Before mixing tires 
of different types in any configuration on any vehicle, be sure to check 
the vehicle manufacturer’s owner‘s manual for its recommendations. 
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer’s owner’s 
manual when mixing, matching, or replacing tires on 4-wheel drive 
vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
SELF-SUPPORTING ZERO PRESSURE™ (ZP) TIRES SHOULD NOT 
BE MIXED WITH NON-ZP TIRES OTHER THAN THE TEMPORARY 
USE OF THE PROPERLY INFLATED SPARE IF THE VEHICLE IS  
SO EQUIPPED.
Winter Driving
Tires that meet the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) 
definition of snow tires are marked M/S, M+S, or M&S. On such tires, 
normally referred to as “All-Season” tires, the “M+S” designation