1. Tire Sidewall Markings

2. Information Contained:
basic dimensions
week it was produced
types of materials used internally to reinforce the rubber
maximum inflation pressures and loads
certifies the tire meets industry standards and government regulations
not all information is branded on every tire

4. Tire Size – P215/65 R15
Tire Type: Identifies vehicle type. P denotes passenger vehicle; LT denotes Light Truck.
Tire Width: Measured in millimetres. E.g. 215
Aspect Ratio: The ratio of the height of the tire's cross-section to its width. E.g. 65
Construction: R denotes radial, whereas B indicates a bias construction.
Wheel Diameter: The greatest distance across the wheel from tread to tread , measured in inches. E.g. 15

5. Load Index and Load Capacity
Pounds
Kilograms 75
853
387 76
882
400 77
908
412 78
937
425 79
963
437 80
992
450 81
1019
462 82
1047
475 83
1074
487 84
1102
500 85
1135
515 86
1168
530 87
1201
545 88
1235
560 89
1279
580 90
1323
600 91
1356
615 92
1389
630 93
1433
650 94
1477
670 95
1521
690 96
1565
710 97
1609
730 98
1653
750 99
1709
775
100
1764
800
101
1819
825
102
1874
850
103
1929
875
104
1984
900
105
Load Index: The maximum load in pounds (lb.) that the tire can support when properly inflated based on the Load Index Chart. E.g. 89

6. Speed Rating
Rating Symbol
Maximum Speed (km/h) Q
160 S
180 T
190 U
200 H
210 V
240
* ZR W
270 Y
300
Over 300
Speed Rating: Indicates the maximum service speed for the tire based in the speed-rating chart. E.g. " H " indicates a maximum tolerable speed of 210 km/h (130 mph).

7. UTQG Rating UTQG stands for Uniform Tire Quality Grading.
based on treadwear, traction and temperature capabilities

8. Treadwear based on the wear rate of the tire
E.g. a tire with a 200 treadwear rating would wear twice as long as a tire with a 100 rating.

9. Traction and Temperature
Traction Grades: Identify the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement E.g. Traction A
AA: Very Best
A: Best
B: Intermediate
C: Acceptable
Temperature Grades: Denote the tire's resistance to the generation of heat. Excessive temperatures can lead to tire failure. E.g. Temperature A

10. Severe Snow Tires
A mountain/snowflake symbol branded on the tire's sidewall identifies tires that met the required performance in snow testing.
M+S (Mud + Snow): Indicates this is an all-season tire.

11. Tire Identification Number
Tires sold in Canada have a number with information about when and where the tire was produced.
Example:
B3 : Indicates the manufacturer and plant code
CD : Tire size code
E52X : Optional
2602 : Week and year of manufacture (in this example the 26th week of 2002)
The maple leaf symbol indicates this is a Canadian made tire and certifies that it meets all of Transport Canada's requirements.

12. Load & Pressure Marking
Tire pressures are normally measured in "pounds per square inch" (psi), Kilopascals (kPa), or bars of pressure (bars:
MAX. LOAD 630 kg (1389 lbs) MAX. PRESSURE 300 kPa (44 psi)