What Do Tire Numbers Mean?

Every vehicle owner around Kirkland has had to get new tires at some point. However, many are often confused as to how to read tire numbers on the sidewalls. So, “what do tire numbers mean?” The tire numbers tell you the size and type of tire it is, and what type of performance it’s designed for. This will help you determine exactly which tires you need for your vehicle. Learn more about how to read tire numbers with the experts at Honda of Kirkland. For more information, feel free to contact us anytime!

How to Read Tire Numbers

The code on the side of your tires depicts a series of letters and numbers, telling you which size, load index, speed rating, and type of tire you should get to experience maximum performance. Let’s take a look at this code for example:

Example: P215/65R15 95H

Although this might be a bit confusing, each of these numbers means something important. Let’s take a look at this below:

Decoding “P”

The “P” in the code stands for “P-Metric tire”, so it is used for passenger vehicles. If you have a light-duty truck, you might notice “LT” for “light truck”, as this type of tire is designed for light pickup trucks. If the letter does not come before the code, this means that it is a European-style tire, which has a different loading capacity.

Decoding “215”

After the “P” is the number “215” meaning the width in millimeters from each sidewall. So, in the case of the tire code above, the width is 215 millimeters.

Decoding “65”

After this, you will notice a forward-slash, after this comes the aspect ratio, which is “65” is our example above. The aspect ratio is the height of the tire’s cross-section to its width. So, the aspect ratio where the height equals 65% of the width of the tire. The larger the aspect ratio, the thicker the sidewall is. 

Decoding “R”

The “R” stands for the tire’s construction, which indicates radial. 

Decoding “15”

The “15” in our example is the size of the wheel from end to end. This tells us which type of tire fits on the wheel. So, in this case, the “15” denotes a 15-inch wheel. 

Decoding “95H”

At the very end of the code comes the “95H”, denoting the load index and speed rating for this particular tire. So, in the case of our example, the “95” tells us how much weight the tire can hold when inflated properly. On passenger vehicles, this often ranges between 75-105. The “H” denotes the speed rating, in this case, “H” means that the tire can reach a maximum speed of 130 mph. 

Checking Tire Pressure 

Whether you have a low-profile tire or truck tire with thick sidewalls, it’s important to keep them properly inflated when driving around the Redmond roads. It’s quite easy to check your vehicle’s tire pressure, as many modern vehicles have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which will alert you if they’re not inflated properly. 

Learn More About Tire Maintenance at Honda of Kirkland!

So, now that you know more about how to read tire numbers, schedule a service appointment with the experts at the %% di_name%% service center. Be sure to take advantage of our service specials to save on your next maintenance near Woodinville and Seattle!