Ford Escape 2013 Owner's Manual page 248

Letter rating Speed rating - mph (km/
W 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y 186 mph (299 km/h)
Note: For tires with a maximum speed
capability over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
manufacturers sometimes use the letters
ZR. For those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299 km/h), tire
manufacturers always use the letters ZR.
H. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
(TIN): This begins with the letters DOT
and indicates that the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers or letters
are the plant code designating where it
was manufactured, the next two are the
tire size code and the last four numbers
represent the week and year the tire was
built. For example, the numbers 317 mean
the 31st week of 1997. After 2000 the
numbers go to four digits. For example,
2501 means the 25th week of 2001. The
numbers in between are identification
codes used for traceability. This
information is used to contact customers
if a tire defect requires a recall.
I. M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT: All Terrain, or
AS: All Season.
J. Tire Ply Composition and Material
Used: Indicates the number of plies or the
number of layers of rubber-coated fabric
in the tire tread and sidewall. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the ply
materials in the tire and the sidewall, which
include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
Wheels and Tires
h)
248
K. Maximum Load: Indicates the
maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire. Refer to the
Safety Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver's seating position), for the correct
tire pressure for your vehicle.
L. Treadwear, Traction and
Temperature Grades:
• Treadwear 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.
• Traction: The traction grades, from
highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C.
The 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.
• Temperature: 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.