Tire Rotation (Rearward Cross)
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories were established
by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The specific grade rating assigned by the tire's
manufacturer in each category is shown on the sidewall
of the tires on your vehicle.
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to Federal
safety requirements in addition to these grades.
T
READWEAR
The Treadwear 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 150 would wear one and one-
half 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.
T
RACTION
G
RADES
The Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. These grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement, as measured under controlled
conditions 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
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
T
EMPERATURE
G
RADES
The Temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat, when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance,
which all passenger vehicle tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel, than the minimum required by
law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for
a tire that 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.
STORING THE VEHICLE
If you are storing your vehicle for more than three
weeks, we recommend that you take the following steps
to minimize the drain on your vehicle's battery:
●
Disconnect the negative cable from battery.
●
Any time you store your vehicle or keep it out of
service (i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the
air conditioning system at idle for about five minutes
in the fresh air and high blower setting. This will
ensure adequate system lubrication to minimize the
possibility of compressor damage when the system
is started again.
BODYWORK
P
ROTECTION
F
ROM
A
TMOSPHERIC
A
GENTS
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to
geographic locations and usage. Chemicals that make
roads passable in snow and ice and those that are
sprayed on trees and road surfaces during other
seasons are highly corrosive to the metal in your
vehicle. Outside parking, which exposes your vehicle
to airborne contaminants, road surfaces on which the
vehicle is operated, extreme hot or cold weather and
344 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
