How to Identify Car Tire Markings?
2 Answers
Methods for identifying car tire markings: These can be seen from the sidewall text of the tire. Currently, almost all passenger car tires are radial tires. The identification method for radial passenger car tire specifications follows the order of tire width, aspect ratio, compatible rim diameter, load index, and speed rating. Car tire markings refer to the meanings of various symbols on the tire, including the tire's specifications, ply rating, rim size, speed rating, etc. For example, 195/65R15 indicates a tread width of 195 millimeters, an aspect ratio of 65, R stands for radial tire, and 15 refers to the tire's inner diameter of 15 inches. Tires are circular elastic rubber products assembled on various vehicles or machinery for rolling on the ground.
Finding tire markings is quite simple. I usually just look at the string of characters on the tire sidewall, such as ‘P205/55 R16 91H’. The ‘P’ stands for passenger vehicle, ‘205’ is the width in millimeters, ‘55’ is the aspect ratio (height to width) of 55%, ‘R’ means radial construction, ‘16’ is the rim diameter in inches, ‘91’ is the load index (approximately 615 kg), and ‘H’ represents the speed rating with a maximum of 210 km/h. Learning these is crucial for safety—for example, incorrect tire size during replacement can cause vehicle imbalance, increased fuel consumption, or even loss of control at high speeds. Winter tires may have the M+S (mud and snow) marking, while summer tires don’t, so I often check before seasonal changes. It’s best to regularly clean the tire sidewalls, as accumulated dust can obscure markings and hide warning signs like cracks.
