required speed rating for your vehicle can be
found in the "Tires" section (
Y
page 410).
Further information about reading tire data can
be obtained from any qualified specialist work-
shop.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, load
index
:
may also be imprinted on the sidewall
of the tire. You will find this after the letter that
identifies the speed rating (
Y
page 400).
R
If no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard load
(SL) tire
R
XL or Extra Load: represents a reinforced tire
R
Light Load: represents a light load tire
R
C, D, E: represents a load range that depends
on the maximum load that the tire can carry at
a certain pressure
i
Tire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
Maximum load rating
Maximum tire load
:
is the maximum permis-
sible weight for which the tire is approved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissible
load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side (
Y
page 394).
i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-spe-
cific and may deviate from the values in the
illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
US tire regulations stipulate that every tire man-
ufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN in or on
the sidewall of each tire produced.
The TIN is a unique identification number. The
TIN enables the tire manufacturers or retreaders
to inform purchasers of recalls and other safety-
relevant matters. It makes it possible for the
purchaser to easily identify the affected tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer identifica-
tion code
;
, tire size
=
, tire type code
?
and
manufacturing date
A
.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol
:
marks that the tire complies with the
requirements of the U.S. Department of Trans-
portation.
Manufacturer identification code: manufac-
turer identification code
;
provides details on
the tire manufacturer. New tires have a code
with two symbols. Retreaded tires have a code
with four symbols.
For further information about retreaded tires,
see (
Y
page 410).
Tire size: identifier
=
describes the tire size.
Tire type code: tire type code
?
can be used by
the manufacturer as a code to describe specific
characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture
A
provides information about the age of a tire. The
first and second positions represent the week of
402
All about wheels and tires
Wheels
and
tire
s
