Department Of Transportation Uniform Tire; Quality Grades; Treadwear; Traction Grades - Dodge Grand Caravan 2018 User Manual

DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM TIRE

QUALITY GRADES

The following tire grading categories
were established by the National High-
way 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 addi-
tion to these 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. The relative performance of tires
172
depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart sig-
nificantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices,
and differences in road characteristics
and climate.

Traction Grades

The Traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. These grades
represent the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement, as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified govern-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. 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.

Temperature Grades

The Temperature grades are A (the high-
est), 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 speci-
fied indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive tempera-
ture can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance, which all passenger vehicle tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel, than
the minimum required by law.