If you’ve ever noticed the string of numbers and letters on your vehicle’s tires or door jamb, you may have wondered what they’re there for. It might look like a completely random code, but that’s not the case! It’s actually the tire number. What do tire numbers mean? Each part of the code indicates something about the tire’s size, type, and purpose. When you’re shopping for new tires in the Troy area, it’s good to know the proper tire number for your vehicle, or you could end up with the wrong type of tires. Learn how to decode your tire number meaning with Ford of Latham, below!
What do the numbers on tires mean? A typical tire number looks like this: P215/65R15 95H. When you break down the tire number into different parts, it tells you or your Ford service provider the tire type, size, load index, and speed rating. Let’s dissect this example code to demonstrate:
The letter at the front of a tire code tells you the tire type. In this case, “P” stands for “P-Metric tire,” which indicates that it’s intended for passenger vehicles. Another common letter is “LT,” which stands for “light truck” and is the recommended tire for light-weight trucks. Some tires lack a letter at the start of the code, meaning they’re European or Euro-Metric tires, and their load capacities are different.
What do the numbers on tires mean? The first number in a tire code indicates the width — in millimeters — from sidewall to sidewall. In this example code, the tire’s width is 215 millimeters.
The number after the forward slash in a tire code indicates the aspect ratio. Referring to our example (P215/65R15 95H), 65 is the number representing the aspect ratio. A tire’s ratio is calculated as the height of the cross-section to the width. Our example tire has an aspect ratio where the height is equal to 65% of the width. The greater the aspect ratio, the larger the sidewalls are going to be.
The first letter after the forward-slash tells you about the tire’s construction. “R” tells us that our example tire has a radial construction.
The second to last number in a tire code tells you the wheel’s size from end to end in inches, so you know what size wheel the tire will fit. In our example, the tire is for a 15-inch wheel.
At the very end of the tire code, the number and letter combo indicate the load index (“95”) and speed rating (“H”) of the tire.
The load index ranges from 75–105 for passenger vehicles and tells you how much weight the tire can support when properly inflated. With a load index of 95, the tire can support 1,521 pounds of weight.
The speed rating tells you how fast you can safely drive on the tire based on the load capacity. Speed ratings go from B to Z, with H associated with a 130-mph maximum speed rating.
Understanding the tire number meaning is only the first part of the equation. For your tires to perform as intended on Albany and Schenectady roads, they must get properly inflated. Many new Ford vehicles come equipped with modern Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) that will tell you the exact tire pressure of each tire. If one or more of your tires are underinflated, your TPMS will alert you so you can stop off at a tire shop or gas station to add more air. We offer express service at Ford of Latham when you need a quick tire pressure adjustment!
What do the numbers on your tires mean? If you’re having trouble, contact us or schedule your service, and our team will work to ensure you get the correct tires for your vehicle! And, if you’re looking for answers to more service questions like “What do tire numbers mean?”, check out our service tips. We have helpful guides on tire rotation and more.
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