How to Read a Sidewall
Markings & Warnings
Safety Warning
Like everything about our tires, safety comes first — even on the sidewall. The tire sidewall always has information to protect against over-inflation, under-inflation and improper tire mounting. It also encourages owners to review the vehicle tire placard information and/or owner’s manual.

Mud & Snow
Tires that meet certain tread pattern requirements set forth by the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) can be marked with mud & snow symbols (M/S, M+S, or M&S). These tread pattern requirements identify tread pattern geometry that tends to improve mud and snow performance.
Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake
Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) is a special marking design on the sidewall to identify an all-season tire that operates with a higher level of snow performance. These tires meet the required performance criteria in snow testing to be considered severe snow service-rated.

Global Markings
Tires can be branded with more than one approval code from governments around the world. Here are some of the common global marking you might find:NOM
NOM stands for ‘Norma Oficial Mexicana’, the Official Mexican standards. Tires with NOM marking on the sidewall indicate that the tire has passed all certification required to be used in Mexico. Some tires intended to be used globally may have NOM certification on top of US DOT certification.

ECE
ECE stands for ‘Economic Commission for Europe’. Tires marked with a circle E4 followed by numbers are specifically designed for European market. Some tires intended to be used globally may have ECE certification on top of US DOT certification.

CCC
CCC is the ‘China Standard Mark’. Tires marked with CCC followed by a number are certified to be used in China. Some tires intended to be used globally may have CCC certification on top of US DOT certification.

INMETRO
INMETRO is the certification of the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial for Brazil Market. Tires with INMETRO marking are certified to be used in Brazil.
