Get Maintenance -> US Department of Transportation Guide for Aston Martin Vantage 2 Door Third Generation (2005-2017)

11.13

Maintenance

New Tires

New tires should not be installed to the front wheels in combination

with worn rear tires, as rear end stability will be affected. When new

tires are required consult your Aston Martin Dealer for advice if the

rear tires are also worn. Each wheel and tire unit must be balanced

dynamically and measured for Radial Force Variation (RFV) to make

sure of efficient steering, optimum tire wear and maximum ride

comfort. Because of the potentially high speeds, it is essential that

wheel balancing is carried out when new tires are installed. Contact

your Aston Martin Dealer for more information.

Running-In New Tires

When new tires have been installed, speed should be limited,

particularly during the first 50 miles or so of driving. Fast cornering,

hard braking, and harsh acceleration should also be avoided during

this period.

Tread Wear Marks

Tread wear marks (A) are

incorporated into the construction

of all tires. These marks are integral

moulded ribs spaced at regular

intervals around the circumference

of the tire and extend across the full

width of the tread, in all primary

grooves.

When a tire has worn causing one or more of the marks to be flush

with the outer face of the tread the tire has reached its wear limit. It

then becomes illegal in certain countries and must be replaced.

US Department of Transportation

Uniform Tire Quality Grades

The following information relates to the tire grading system

developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,

which grades tires by tread wear, traction and temperature

performance. All passenger vehicle tires must conform to federal

safety requirements in addition to these grades.

Tread Wear

The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate

of a tire tested, under controlled conditions, on a specified

government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear

one and a half times (1½) as well, on the government course, as a tire

graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the

actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly

from the normal due to variations in driving habits, service practices

and differences in road characteristics and climate.

11.14

Maintenance

Traction

Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on

straight-ahead braking traction tests and does not include

acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction

characteristics.

The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. The

grades represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as

measured under controlled conditions on specified government test

surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor

traction performance.

Temperature

Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is established

for a tire that is correctly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive

speed, under inflation, or excessive loading, either separately or

in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.

The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing

the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate

heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor

laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the

material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive

temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds

to a level of performance which all passenger vehicle tires must meet

under the Federal Motor Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A

represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel

than the minimum required by law.

Tire Sidewall Information

Both US and Canada Federal regulations require tire manufacturers

to place standardized information on the sidewall of all tires. This

information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics

of the tire and also provides a Tire Identification Number for safety

standard certification and incase of a recall.

Information on ‘P’ Type Tires

‘P215/65R15 95H’ is an

example of a tire size, load

index and speed rating. The

definitions of these items are

listed below.

The tire size, load index

and speed rating for your

vehicle may be different from

this example.

11.15

Maintenance

[1] P: A tire, designated by the Tire and Rim Association (T&RA), that

may be used for service on cars, SUVs, minivans and light trucks.

If your tire size does not begin with a letter this may mean it is

designated by either ETRTO (European Tire and Rim Technical

Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire Manufacturing Association).

[2] 215: The nominal width of the tire in millimetres from side wall

edge to side wall edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider

the tire.

[3] 65: The aspect ratio which gives the tire’s ratio of height to width.

[4] R: Shows a “radial” type tire.

[5] 15: The wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your

wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new

wheel diameter.

[6] TIRE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (TIN): (Also known as ‘DOT

Code’) The Tire Identification Number (TIN) begins with the letters

‘DOT’ and shows that the tire meets all federal standards. The next

two numbers or letters are the plant code designating where it was

manufactured, the next two are the tire size code and the last four

numbers represent the week and year the tire was built. For example,

the numbers 317 mean the 31st week of 1997. After 2000 the

numbers go to four digits. For example, 2501 means the 25th week

of 2001. The numbers in between are identification codes used for

traceability. This information is used to contact customers if a tire

defect requires a recall.

[7] 95: The tire’s load index. It is an index that relates to how much

weight a tire can carry. (Refer ro page 12.5)

You may not find this information on all tires because it is not

required by federal law.

[8] H: The tire’s speed rating. The speed rating denotes the speed at

which a tire is designed to be driven for extended periods of time

under a standard condition of load and inflation pressure. The tires

on your vehicle may operate at different conditions for load and

inflation pressure. These speed ratings may need to be adjusted for

the difference in conditions. The ratings range from 81-186 mph.

These ratings are listed in the following chart.

Letter Rating Speed Rating

M 81 mph

N 87 mph

Q 99 mph

R 106 mph

S 112 mph

T 118 mph

U 124 mph

H 130 mph

V 149 mph

W 168 mph

Y 186 mph

11.16

Maintenance

For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph, tire

manufacturers sometimes use the letters ZR. For those with a

maximum speed capability over 186 mph, tire manufacturers always

use the letters ZR.

[9] TIRE TYPE:

• M+S or M/S

Mud and Snow

• AT

All Terrain

• AS

All Season.

[10] TIRE PLY COMPOSITION AND MATERIAL USED: Shows the

number of plies or the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the

tire tread and sidewall. Tire manufacturers also must show the ply

materials in the tire and the sidewall, which include steel, nylon,

polyester, and others.

[11] MAXIMUM LOAD: Shows the maximum load in kilograms and

pounds that can be carried by the tire. Refer to the Safety

Compliance Certification Label, which is located on the B-Pillar or

the edge of the driver’s door, for the correct tire pressure for your

vehicle.

[12] TREAD WEAR, TRACTION AND TEMPERATURE GRADES:

(Refer ro page 11.13).

[13] MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE INFLATION PRESSURE: (Refer ro

page 11.18)

Vehicle Loading

Correctly loading this vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle

design performance. Before loading this vehicle, familiarize yourself

with the following terms for determining the vehicle’s weight ratings

from the vehicle’s Safety Compliance Certification Label (A) USA, (B)

Canada.

MFD Date: Month and Year the vehicle was manufactured (e.g. 01 /

06 = January 2006).

GVWR: Gross vehicle weight (curb weight + full payload).

GAWR F: Maximum load on the front axle.

GAWR R: Maximum load on the rear axle or the Tire label (C).

Seating Capacity: Shows the maximum number of passengers.

Payload: Make sure that the payload (cargo + passengers) does not

exceed this limit.

Tire sizes: The size of tires to be used on this vehicle.

Cold inflation pressure: The maximum recommended tire inflation

pressure.

11.17

Maintenance

The illustrations shown are examples and may not accurately

describe the labels on this vehicle.

Both labels are located on the

vehicle door opening edge.

Payload: The payload is the combined weight of cargo and

passengers that the vehicle is carrying. The maximum payload for

your vehicle can be found on the Tire Label on the edge of the

driver’s door. Look for ‘The Combined Weight of Occupants and

Cargo Should Never Exceed XXX kg OR XXX lb’ for maximum

payload. The payload listed on the Tire Label is the maximum

payload for the vehicle as built by the assembly plant. If any after

market or Aston Martin Dealer installed equipment has been installed

on the vehicle, the weight of the equipment must be subtracted from

the payload listed on the Tire Label in order to determine the new

pay load.

Gross Vehicle Weight: The maximum recommended weight for a

vehicle, including: the weight of the vehicle itself, fuel and other

fluids, passengers, and all cargo.

Determining the Correct Load Limit

1. Locate the statement ‘The combined weight of occupants and

cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lb’ on the vehicle’s

tire label.

2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers

that will be riding in the vehicle.

3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from

XXX kg or XXX lb.

4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and

luggage load capacity. For example, if the ‘XXX’ amount equals

661 lb and there will be four 150 lb passengers in the vehicle,

the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 61lb

(661–600 (4x150) = 61 lb). In metric units (300–272 (4x68) =

28 kg).

5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being

loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the

available cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.

11.18

Maintenance

Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure

The maximum permissible inflation pressure is the tire

manufacturer’s maximum permissible pressure and / or the pressure

at which the maximum load can be carried by the tire. This pressure

is normally higher than the manufacturer’s recommended cold

inflation pressure which can be found on the Safety Compliance

Certification Label or Tire Label.

The cold inflation pressure should never be set lower than the

recommended pressure on the Safety Compliance Certification Label

or Tire Label.

The recommended cold inflation tire pressures for this vehicle can

also be found in the specifications chapter of this owner’s guidebook

(Refer to ’Tires’, page 12.5).

Safety Practices

Warning: If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., do

not rapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and

cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five

seconds.

Warning: Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph. The tires

may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.

Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and

safety.

• Observe posted speed limits.

• Avoid fast starts, stops and turns.

• Avoid potholes and objects on the road.

• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking.

Highway Hazards

No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that

you may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to

the closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat

tire, but your safety is more important. If you feel a sudden vibration

or ride disturbance while driving, or you suspect your tire or vehicle

has been damaged, immediately reduce your speed. Drive with

caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and inspect the

tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged, deflate it,

remove the wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If

you can not detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest

repair facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.

Tire Terminology

Tire Label: A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,

recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the

vehicle can carry.

Tire Identification Number (TIN): A number on the sidewall of each

tire providing information about the tire brand and manufacturing

plant, tire size and date of manufacture. Also referred to as DOT

code.

Inflation Pressure: A measure of the amount of air in a tire.

11.19

Maintenance

Standard Load: A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a

maximum load at 35psi [37psi (2.5bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing

the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase the tire’s

load carrying capability.

Extra Load: A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a

heavier maximum load at 41psi [43psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires].

Increasing the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not

increase the tire’s load carrying capability.

kPa: Kilo pascal, a metric unit of air pressure.

PSI: Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of air pressure.

Cold Inflation Pressure: The tire pressure when the vehicle has

been stationary and out of direct sun light for an hour or more and

prior to the vehicle being driven for 1 mile (1.6km).

Recommended Inflation Pressure: The cold inflation pressure

found on the Safety Compliance Certification Label or Tire Label

(found on the edge of the driver’s door).

Bead Area of the Tire: Area of the tire next to the rim.

Sidewall of the Tire: Area between the bead area and the tread.

Tread Area of the Tire: Area of the perimeter of the tire that contacts

the road when mounted on the vehicle.

Rim: The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly

upon which the tire beads are seated.

Tire Sealant Kit

Warning: Do not use the system to seal a tire that was

damaged while driving with insufficient air pressure (e.g. tire

cuts, cracks, bumps or similar damage). Do not use the system to

seal tires with side wall damage. Only punctures in the tread

area of tires may be sealed.

Warning: Do not stand directly beside the tire while the

compressor is pumping. Watch the side wall of the tire. If there

are any cracks, bumps or similar damage set the compressor to

OFF. The journey should not be continued. Contact your nearest

Aston Martin Dealer.

Warning: If a tire pressure of 1.8 bar/26 psi cannot be

reached then the tire can not be sealed. Do not attempt to re-

inflate the tire. Contact your Aston Martin Dealer.

Warning: If the pressure in the tire after driving for 1.8 miles

is below 1.3 bar/19 psi the tire has not been effectively sealed.

The journey should not be continued. Contact your nearest

Aston Martin Dealer.

Warning: After a longer period of rest, the tire pressure

should be rechecked.

Maintenance -> US Department of Transportation for Your Aston Martin Vantage 2 Door Third Generation (2005-2017)

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