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Cuslomer
Informalion
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
System (UTQGS)
This information
relates
to the
tire
gradjng
system
developedby
the
U.S.
National Highway
Traffic
Safety
Administration
for
grading tires by tread
wear,
traction,
and
temperature
I
ltead
Wear
The tread
wea.r
grade is
a
comparative
nting
based
on
$e
wear rate
of
the
tire
when
tested
under
controlled conditions
on
a
specified govemment
test
course.
For example,
a
tire
graded
I
50
would
wear one-and-a-half times
as
well
on the
govemment course
as
a
tire
gmded
l0o.
The
relative
performance
of
tires depends
upon the actual
conditions of their
us€,
howeve!
and
may depart
significandy
from
the
nom
because
of valiations
in
driving
habits, service practices
and
dif-
ferences in rcad characteristics
and
cli-
I
Tlacaion-AA,
.\
B, C
'fte
tracdon
grades,
from
highest to
low,
est, are
AA,
A, B.
and C.
These
grades
9.8
r€present
fte
tire's
abilily
to
stop
on
wet
pavement
as
measured under
controlled
conditions
on sp€cified govemment test
surfaces
of
asphalt
and
concrete.
A
dre
marked C Inay have poor
traction perfor-
WARNING:
The
tructioi
glade
assigned to
this
tirc
is
based
o
blaki
g
(slraight
ahea.l)
tractio
tests
a
d does
not
include
ac.elerudon
co
edne
tunind,
hJdropla
i
g,
or
peak
trcction
I
Temperature-A,
B, C
The lemperature
graales
are
A
(the
high-
est),
B,
and
C, represent
the
tiret
resis-
tance
to the generation
of
heat
and
its
ability
to dissipate
heat
when
tested
un-
der
conlrolled conditions
on
a
specifi€d
indoor laboratory
iest
wheel. Sustained
high
temperature
can cause the
material
of
lhe tire
1o
degen€rate and reduce
tire
life,
and
excessive temperatures
can
lead
to
sudden
tire failure.
Grade
C conesponds
to
alevel
of
performance
which all
passenger
vehicle
tires must me€t under
the
Federal
Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard
No.
109.
Grades
B
and
A
represenl higher
levels
of
perfoamance on
the
laboraiory
test
wheel
than
$e
minimum
required
by
law.
WARNING:
The
tenperulure
srude
for
this tbe is
established
fof
a
tie
th4t
B
pfope
r
inlated
and not
ove
oaded
Excessive
speed,
undefit
Jlation,
or
excessive
Ioading, either separat
b
or
in
combination,
con cause heat
buiuap
a
.l
possible tirc
faiure.
These grades
will
be
added to the side-
walls of
passenger
vehicle
tires over the
next several
years
according
to asched,
ule €stablished
by
the
NHTSA
and the
tire manufacturels.
The grade
of
tires
available
as
standard
or
optional
equipment on Mazda
vehicle
may
vary
with
respect
to grade.
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