What Do the Numbers on Tires Mean?

Closeup of Tire Numbers with Wheel Rim

When you take a look at your tires in Hamden or New Haven, you’ll see a long string of numbers and letters printed directly into the rubber. So, what do the numbers on tires mean? Every digit represents something different, ranging from tire type to speed rating. If you want to discover your tire number meaning, feel free to ask us at Executive Nissan. Or, you can follow our guide to decipher the numbers yourself. Let’s take a look at an example.

Decoding Your Tire Number Meaning

We’ve gone over “What do tire numbers mean?” in a broad sense. Now let’s go through an example to dive a little deeper into the question. Take a look at the example of P215/65R15 95H. What do the numbers on these tires mean?

Decoding “P”

This letter indicates the type of vehicle that can use this particular tire. P stands for P-metric tire or a passenger vehicle. You might also see LT for a light truck or no letter for a European-style tire.

Decoding “215”

This number is a measurement of the tire width from sidewall to sidewall. So the 215 stands for a width of 215 millimeters. 

Decoding “65”

This number is known as the aspect ratio code, or the ratio of the height of the tire cross-section relative to its width. This tire’s height is equal to 65% of its width.

Decoding “R”

This letter refers to the tire’s construction type. An R means that it’s a radial tire.

Decoding “15”

This number tells you what type of wheel will fit with this tire. A 15 means that the tire can fit a 15-inch wheel properly.

Decoding “95H”

This is actually two pieces of information. First, the 95 is the load index or how much weight the tire can hold. H is the speed rating, or how fast the tire can travel safely. An H speed rating indicated that the tire maxes out at 130 mph.

Get Expert Tire Care at Executive Nissan 

We’ve gone over “What do tire numbers mean?” generally, but what do your tire numbers mean? Let us be of assistance! Whether you need to work through your tire number meaning or simply schedule a little maintenance for the Northford roads ahead, the North Haven team at Executive Nissan is always happy to help. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions about your vehicle, and get some service tips and tricks from the experts. In the meantime, find out more about our service center and learn why tire rotations are so important.

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