How To Understand a Tyre Label
The labelling was brought in by the EU in 2012, to give consumers more information on the safety of their tyres and their environmental impact. This arms consumers with the information they need to decide which tyres are best for them and the planet.
If you look at car tyre labels, you'll see they look very similar to the tags you see on white goods, but do you know what they mean? The labelling was brought in by the EU in 2012, to give consumers more information on the safety of their tyres and their environmental impact. This arms consumers with the information they need to decide which tyres are best for them and the planet. You'll notice three pictures which show how efficient your tyre is, in terms of fuel economy, wet grip and noise.
The fuel economy gives a rating from A to G, rather like houses are rated for how energy-efficient they are. The top rating is the green A, while tyres with the worst miles per gallon are rated with the red G. The difference between the A and G ratings can be 7.5%, and if you consider that tyres account for 20% of a car's fuel consumption, going for a good rating can save a significant amount of money. Also, if you do a lot of miles, you will save more money with a fuel-efficient car.
The next symbol also rates tyres from A to G, but for wet grip, which measures stopping distances in the rain. When you brake at 50mph, the difference between each letter is about 2.5 metres - half the length of an average car. Overall, the difference in braking distance between the top and bottom grades will be about 30%. Finally, the tyres are labelled for noise, with the rating being either one, two or three black bars, with the decibel rating in white numbers. One black sound wave means the tyre is relatively quiet, while three waves mean it is relatively noisy.
You will also need to bear in mind the tread and condition of your tyres, when it comes in for its service prior to its MOT inspection. Don't forget that if your car fails its MOT, you can book it in for free MOT retests. MOT retests will mean the work is carried out to pass the MOT next time.
When should my car be serviced?
Car servicing intervals are every 12 months, or less if you drive many miles per year. Every car needs a service at least once a year, or every 12,000 miles. When it is three years old, it will need a 36,000-mile service, ready for its MOT.
Where can I book my MOT?
Please call in to your local Protyre garage to book a free check on any part of your vehicle, including tyres, or to enquire about our MOT services, including MOT retests.