Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
405
Consumer Information and Reporting Safety Defects13
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on the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in Step 4.
13-3. Uniform Tire Quality Grading StandardsThis information i ndicates the rela-
tive performance of passenger car
tires in the area of treadwear, trac-
tion, and temperature resistance.
This is to aid the consumer in
making an informed choice in the
purchase of tires.
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
The quality grades apply to new
pneumatic tires for use on
passenger cars. However, they do
not apply to deep tread, winter type
snow tires, space-saver or tempo-
rary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 12 inches
or less, or to some limited produc-
tion tires. All passenger car tires must
conform to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades.
■ TREADWEARThe treadwear grade is a compara-
tive 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 150
would wear one and one-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 AA, A, B, CThe traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
BRZ_U.book 405 ページ 2022年3月29日 火曜日 午後3時59分