What Do the Red and Yellow Dots on Winter Tires Mean?

[McPaige]

The red dot on winter tires indicates the point of maximum longitudinal stiffness of the tire. The location marked with a red dot is the point where the tire experiences the most vibration. The yellow dot is the light point mark of the tire, indicating the lightest position on the tire. Principle of Winter Tires: The tread in contact with the road surface uses a special silica-based compound to ensure the tire remains exceptionally soft even at extremely low temperatures, providing excellent grip on ice. The tread pattern typically employs a cross-Z-shaped sipe technology, which not only enhances braking performance on snow/ice, shortens braking distance, but also delivers ideal traction. Differences Between Winter Tires and Regular Tires: Winter tires are specifically designed for snowy and icy conditions. In terms of appearance, unlike regular or unidirectional tires, winter tires feature asymmetric directional tread patterns with more grooves. The higher the proportion of grooves on the tire surface, the better the water drainage. Winter tires have significantly more fine grooves, at least over 1,000, whereas regular tires have about 200.