Tire Labeling; Dot Tire Quality Grading - Honda Civik Owner's Manual

MAINTENANCE
Winter Tires
n
If driving on snowy or frozen roads, mount all season tires marked "M+S",
snow tires, or tire chains; reduce speed and maintain sufficient distance
between vehicles when driving. For winter tires, select the size and load
ranges that are the same as the original tires, and mount them to all four
wheels.
Tire Chains
n
Install tire chains on the front tires only. Because your vehicle has limited
tire clearance, we strongly recommend using the following chains:
Models with 215/55 R16 or 215/50 R17 tires:
Cable-type: SCC Radial chain SC1032
Models with 235/40 R18 tires:
Cable-type: SCC Radial chain SC1034
Models with 245/30Z R20 tires:
Not recommended to use any type of chains
Mount chains as tightly as you can and make sure that they do not touch the
brake lines or suspension.
Traction devices that are the wrong size or improperly installed can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, suspension, body, and wheels. Stop driving if they
are hitting any part of the vehicle.
Using the wrong chains, or not properly installing chains, can damage the
brake lines and cause a crash in which you can be seriously injured or
killed.
Follow all instructions in this guide regarding the selection and use of tire
chains.

Tire Labeling

The tires that came on your vehicle have a number of markings. Those you
should be aware of are described below.
Here is an example of what each marking means:
P205/55 R16 89H
134 |
• P: tire type (passenger vehicle)
• 205: tire width in millimeters
• 55: aspect ratio (tire section height as a
percentage of its width)
• R: tire construction code (radial)
• 16: rim diameter in inches
• 89: load index (code indicating maximum
load tire can carry)
• H: speed symbol (code indicating
maximum speed rating)
Tire Identification Number (TIN)
n
The tire identification number (TIN) is a
group of numbers and letters that look
like the following example. The TIN is
located on the sidewall of the tire.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
n
Cold Tire Pressure – The tire air pressure when the vehicle has been parked
for at least three hours or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Load Rating – The maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure.
Maximum Inflation Pressure – The maximum tire air pressure that the tire
can hold.
Maximum Load Rating – The load rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pressure for that tire.
Recommended Inflation Pressure – The cold tire inflation pressure
recommended by the manufacturer.
Treadwear Indicators (TWI) – The projections within the principal grooves
designed to give a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread.

DOT Tire Quality Grading

The tires on your vehicle meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All tires are
also graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature performance according to
Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. These gradings are explained
below.
MAINTENANCE
Exa mple
Tire S ize
Tire
Identificati o n
Number (TIN)
Maximum
Tire Load
Maximum
Tire Pressure
Tire Size
| 135