Tire Ratings Explained - What is a tire ratings placard?
So with tire ratings what's the thing called a placard?
Or better said, why does the government make the obvious seem so complicated? Well I can't explain the second question, I just pay taxes like the rest and hope to get it right. Now back to car tires and that "placard."
The National Highway Transportation Administration(that's the government agency that helps make this sound complicated).
They explain: "A tire placard is really just a fancy name for a tire information label."
It has on it (by law):
- The car manufacturer’s recommended psi pounds per square inch) or kilopascals (kPa) of air pressure for your vehicle’s tires
- The maximum weight (or “load”) you should have in your vehicle. Load or weight limits are usually given in terms of number of occupants or total weight (in pounds or kilograms) and
- The recommended tire size.
Where do you find this "placard"?
Here's the tricky part, if you review your tire ratings writting on the side of the car tire, you will find the tire ratings infomrtiomation on it, but this not the infomration you need. Many people get tripped up by this. They think the tire rating information is the specifications for the car.
The key is that the placard is on the car not the car tire. You need to read the car tire placard on the car to determine the tires specified for your car and the proper tire size, tire inflation and the tire load limits. Only then do you pick out the tires for your car.
The NTHSA explains ways to hunt down your tire placard:
"You’ll find the label located inside the driver’s side doorframe or doorpost. It may also be affixed to the edge of the driver’s door or the inside of the glove-box door or trunk lid. Next time you get in your vehicle, take a moment to locate your vehicle’s tire placard and make a note of the correct tire pressure and load limits for your vehicle. The same information is also located in your owner’s manual."
So now you know,also it probably wouldn't hurt to take a look at your placard and see if the tire ratings match your actual car tires. You can find more information about tire placards at the NTHSA website and find tire reviews and ratings at The Tire Rack.
