Where to Find Your Size

How To Find & Read A Tire Size

When you’re buying new tires, our Goodyear professionals can help you to find the right size tire for your vehicle. Explore the tire size explanations below, and contact us with questions around the tire size meanings. If you’re ready to purchase tires, use your tire size to find and buy online.

Do you ever wonder where you can find your tire size? It’s in more locations than just your tire's sidewall. Watch the video to find out more, plus learn how you can use that tire size to easily purchase tires online today.

Transcript

It’s now time for you to buy new tires for your vehicle, but you aren’t sure what size tire you even need. If you’re unsure of your tire size, you can always check the sidewall of your current tire. But, did you know that this isn’t the only place you can find your tire size on your vehicle. Depending on your vehicle, there are four other locations that can tell you your tire size information. First, your driver’s side door jamb. Second, the inside of your glove box door. Third, your gas tank hatch door. And fourth, within your vehicle owner’s manual. Once you’ve found your tire size, let us help you find the best tires for your vehicle. We provide you with ways to search via the tire size you’ve just found, or through your vehicle’s specifics, and even your license plates. After that you’ll find the best tire results for your tire size. Once you find your tire, easily make your purchase and schedule your install directly from our website. Goodyear.com. Tire Buying, Simplified.

How to Read a Tire Size

Highlights on how to read a tire sidewall shown on the Goodyear Assurance ComforTred tire

The numbers and letters representing your tire size do have meaning. Learn how to read a tire sidewall and find what the numbers on a tire mean using the detail below.

Metric or Tire Type. The metric, or tire type, defines the proper use of the tire. For example, a "P" designation means that it is a passenger car tire. An "LT" designation is for a light truck. No letter before the width indicates that it is a European metric tire.
Tire Width. The width of the tire measured in mm from sidewall to sidewall. This tire width is 215 mm.
Aspect Ratio. The aspect ratio is the ratio of the height of the tire's cross-section to its width. On our example, 60 means that the height is equal to 60% of the tire's width.
Construction. The construction letter tells you how the layers of the tire were put together. "R" stands for radial, which means the layers run radially across the tire. "B" stands for bias construction, which means that the layers run diagonally across the tire.
Rim Diameter. The rim diameter is the width in inches or cm of the wheel from one end to the other. The diameter of this wheel is 16 in. Always replace a tire on a rim with another tire of exactly the same rim diameter designation and suffix letters.
Load Index. The load index is an assigned number that corresponds with the load-carrying capacity of a tire. Most passenger car tire load indexes range from 75 to 100, but a few carry more. You'll also find the maximum load elsewhere on the tire sidewall, both in lbs. and kg. Learn more about tire load index.
Speed Rating. The speed rating tells you the maximum service speed for a tire. A speed rating isn't, however, a recommendation to exceed speed limits, and doesn't indicate how well a tire handles or corners. Learn more about tire speed rating.

If your tire size looks more like 35x12.50R17LT from the above, you likely have a high-flotation tire. Goodyear also carries these tire sizes. Use our Tire Finder to find the right tires for your application.

Don’t know your tire size, or can’t read the numbers on your sidewall? Not to worry. Our Tire Finder can help. Simply filter BY VEHICLE to browse by year, make, model, and version of your vehicle.

Where to Find Tire Size

In addition to your tire’s sidewall, you may also find your tire size in the following places within your vehicle:

Driver’s side open door displaying tire size placard in the door jamb

1. Your driver's side door jamb

Open glove box door displaying tire size placard

2. Inside your glove box door

Open gas tank hatch displaying tire size placard

3. Within your gas tank hatch

4. In your Vehicle’s Owner’s Manual

Tire Sidewall Options

Not all sidewalls are built the same. Check out the different types of sidewall styles that we offer below.

Black

A black sidewall with black lettering.

Whitewall

White bands on the sidewall vary in width.

Close up on the white lettering sidewall of the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure With Kevlartire

Outlined Letters

Letters on the sidewall are outlined in white.

How To Read A Tire D.O.T. Serial Number

D.O.T. stands for Department of Transportation. This number is located on the lower sidewall of each tire, showing that the tire meets or exceeds the Department of Transportation safety standards.

Understanding Tire D.O.T. Serial Numbers
12-digit number: 2000's production
11-digit number: 1990's production
M6MJEH0R0911
M6: MfgrPlant Code
MJ: Government Size and Ply Code
EHOR: Manufacturer Construction Code
0911: Tire Build Date (9th week of 2011)