Buick Encore: Wheels and Tires / Tire Designations

Tire Size

The example shows a typical passenger vehicle tire size.

Passenger (P-Metric) Tire

1. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire : The United States version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter "P" as the first character in the tire size means a passenger vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the U.S. Tire and Rim Association.
2. Tire Width : The 3-digit number indicates the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
3. Aspect Ratio : A 2-digit number that indicates the tire height-to-width measurements. For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 75, as shown in item (3) of the illustration, it would mean that the tire's sidewall is 75 percent as high as it is wide.
4. Construction Code : A letter code is used to indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter "R" means radial ply construction; the letter "D" means diagonal or bias ply construction.
5. Rim Diameter : Diameter of the wheel in inches.
6. Service Description : These characters represent the load index and speed rating of the tire. The load index represents the load carrying capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified to carry a load.