Ford Escape Owner's Manual page 256

* Sidewall of the tire: Area
between the bead area and the
tread.
*Tread area of the tire: Area of
the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted
on the vehicle.
*Rim: The metal support (wheel)
for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
Information Contained on the Tire
Sidewall
Both United States and Canada
Federal regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a U.S. DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case
of a recall.
Wheels and Tires
Information on P Type Tires
M
E142543
P215/65R15 95H is an example of
a tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different from this example.)
A. P: Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that may be used for
service on cars, sport utility
vehicles, minivans and light trucks.
Note: If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean
it is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical
Organization) or JATMA (Japan
Tire Manufacturing Association).
253
E
C D
B
A
L
K
F
G
H
I
J