2003-2015 Volkswagen Caddy SUV Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles) -> Useful information regarding tyres User Manual
MyCarUserManual.com
USER MANUALS FOR EVERY MAKE & MODEL

Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles) -> Useful information regarding tyres for Your Volkswagen Caddy SUV Third Generation (2003-2015)

Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
4
Facts about wheels and tyres (com‐  
mercial vehicles)  
4.1  
Useful information regarding tyres  
4.1.1  
Identification markings on the tyre sidewall  
Example: Dunlop SP Sport 9000  
1 - Size code  
❑ e.g. 195/65 R 15 91T  
⇒ page 10  
2 - Manufacturer (trade name)  
3 - Tread pattern  
4 - Code for tubeless tyres  
5 - Radial construction  
❑ Radial cord direction in  
carcass  
6 - Notes for version with „rim  
protector“  
7 - Production date  
❑ Tyre ageing  
⇒ page 14  
8 - E number = Approval num‐  
ber  
❑ Tyre meets European  
guidelines ECE-R30  
and EEC92/93.  
9 - Country of origin  
❑ e.g. manufactured in  
Germany  
10 - Internal DUNLOP tread  
code  
11 - DOT - Department of  
Transportation  
❑ Tyre fulfils standards of  
the Department of  
Transportation of the  
United States of Ameri‐  
ca  
12 - DOT Code  
❑ Identification number for manufacturer's plant, tyre size and tyre model  
13 - Maximum permitted load and maximum permitted tyre pressure  
❑ Data for North America  
14 - Number of plies in the centre of the tread and in the sidewalls as well as information about the material  
15 - Position of TWIs (Tread Wear Indicators)  
16 - Relative expected service life - abrasion resistance  
❑ based on a US standard test  
4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)  
9
lk  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
17 - Rating of wet-braking traction, A, B or C  
❑ According to a US test  
18 - Rating of temperature resistance, A, B or C  
❑ According to a US test  
19 - Safety notes for use or fitting of tyre  
20 - Reference to „ultralight construction“  
❑ Tyre is up to 30% lighter  
21 - Specified direction of rotation for tyre  
22 - Inmetro code  
❑ Required for the Brazilian market only  
4.1.2  
Explanation of tyre lettering  
Explanation of tyre dimensions  
Tyres  
Speed  
1
2
3
R
R
R
ZR  
4
5
6
V
Q
T
-
7
Summer tyres  
Winter tyres  
Winter tyres  
High-speed tyres  
to 240 km/h  
to 160 km/h  
to 190 km/h  
195  
195  
195  
225  
65  
65  
65  
50  
15  
15  
15  
16  
91  
91  
91  
91  
-
M + S  
M + S  
-
faster than 240  
km/h  
1 - Tyre width  
2 - Aspect ratio in %  
3 - Code for tyre construction „R“ indicates radial  
4 - Rim diameter designation  
5 - Load rating code/load index (LI)  
6 - Speed rating code  
7 - Winter tyre/code for all-season tyre  
Speed rating/maximum speed  
Speed rating code  
Maximum speed in km/h  
L
M
N
P
120  
130  
140  
150  
Q
R
S
160  
170  
180  
T
190  
U
H
V
200  
210  
240  
ZR  
W
Y
above 240  
270  
300  
10  
Rep. gr.44 - Wheels, tyres, vehicle geometry  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
Load rating code/load index (LI)  
The load rating can be found on the sidewall of the tyre. It provides  
information about the maximum load that the tyre can bear.  
The load rating is included in the size designation of the tyre (e.g.  
195/65 R 15 91T). It is indicated on the tyre as a code according  
to ETRTO. The following table shows the load rating codes used  
at VW with the corresponding load capacity of the tyres.  
Load rating code  
Maximum load of tyre in kg  
75  
78  
79  
80  
81  
82  
83  
84  
85  
86  
87  
88  
89  
90  
91  
92  
387  
425  
437  
450  
462  
475  
487  
500  
515  
530  
545  
560  
580  
600  
615  
630  
650  
670  
690  
710  
730  
750  
775  
800  
825  
850  
875  
900  
1060  
1120  
1150  
1180  
1215  
1250  
1285  
93  
94  
95  
96  
97  
lk  
98  
99  
100  
101  
102  
103  
104  
110  
112  
113  
114  
115  
116  
117  
4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)  
11  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
4.1.3  
Speed ratings for tyres  
The speed rating (e.g. „T“) following the size of the tyre (e.g.  
185/65 R 14 86T)) indicates the maximum permitted speed  
(v  
) of the tyre.  
max  
The tyres for the vehicle must be selected so that their maximum  
permitted speed is greater than the maximum speed that the ve‐  
hicle („based on model“) can attain.  
Vehicles with national type approval  
If the vehicle has a national type approval, the maximum speed  
for the vehicle is calculated as follows:  
Formula for vehicles with v  
up to 150 km/h  
max  
= 1.03 x v + 3.5 km/h ⇒ page 12  
v
max  
Example: specified maximum speed v = 145 km/h  
= 1.03 x 145 km/h + 3.5 km/h = 152.85 km/h  
v
max  
In this example, a tyre with the speed rating „Q“ or higher must  
be used.  
Formula for vehicles with v  
above 151 km/h  
max  
= 1.01 x v + 6.5 km/h ⇒ page 12  
v
max  
Example: specified maximum speed v = 163 km/h  
= 1.01 x 163 km/h + 6.5 km/h = 171.13 km/h  
v
max  
lk  
In this example, a tyre with the speed rating „S“ or higher must be  
used.  
Vehicles with EC type approval  
If your vehicle has an EC type approval, the maximum speed for  
all vehicles is calculated as follows:  
v
= 1.05 x v ⇒ page 12  
max  
Example: specified maximum speed v = 172 km/h  
= 1.05 x 172 km/h 180.60 km/h  
v
max  
In this example, a tyre with the speed rating „T“ or higher must be  
used.  
It is permitted to use tyres with a higher speed rating. The same  
applies to tyres with a higher load index.  
Note  
For the letter „v“, enter the maximum speed given in field „T“ of  
part I or II of the registration document or under number 6 of the  
vehicle documentation. This calculation is necessary because all  
vehicles, for technical reasons, achieve different maximum  
speeds within a legally permitted tolerance.  
4.1.4  
Undulations  
Radial depressions are slight concavities in the tyre sidewall.  
They run from the bead towards the shoulder of the tyre. These  
parts appear in the figure ⇒ page 38 .  
The cause is the accumulation of material at the joints of the tyre  
components.  
12  
Rep. gr.44 - Wheels, tyres, vehicle geometry  
lk  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
Undulations have no effect on:  
♦ Safety,  
♦ Service life,  
♦ Handling or  
♦ Other characteristics of the tyre.  
Undulations are visible to varying extents. It is not necessary to  
inspect the tyre or remove it from the rim.  
What causes undulations?  
Modern steel belted tyres are constructed with single-ply side  
walls to save weight.  
The sidewall components consist of long strips before they are  
joined together to form a tyre. They must overlap at the joints.  
Consequently, slight irregularities or waves are created in the  
area of the overlapping parts. The overlaps are easier to see from  
the outside due to the single-ply construction.  
4.1.5  
Tyre storage  
Storage room  
Rooms used for storing tyres must be  
•
•
•
•
dark  
dry,  
cool and  
ventilated  
in the tyre storage room.  
WARNING  
Stored tyres must not come in contact with fuel, oil, grease or  
chemicals under any circumstances. Otherwise, the material  
in the tyre will be damaged by chemical reactions which are  
not always visible.  
As a result, dangerous situations can occur when the car is  
driven.  
Of course, tyre damage occurs only if the tyre is in contact with  
the chemical for a relatively long time. If a few drops of fuel land  
on a tyre during a fill up, this is of no concern.  
Storing the tyres  
Complete wheels  
Tyres mounted on wheels can be stored flat, stacked one upon  
the other. In this case, it is important to ensure that the tyres are  
clean and dry. The inflation pressure should be increased to a  
maximum of 3 bar.  
Tyres without wheels  
Tyres without wheels are best stored standing vertically. If tyres  
are stacked for a long period of time, they will be pressed together  
quite considerably. The tyres will then be more difficult to fit, as  
they do not sit on the rim shoulders. If tyres are stored standing  
vertically, it is recommended to turn them every 14 days to avoid  
flat spots.  
4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)  
13  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
4.1.6  
Tyre ageing  
Tyres age as a result of physical and chemical processes, which  
can impair the function of the tyres. Tyres which are stored for  
longer periods of time harden and become brittle faster than tyres  
which are constantly in use on a vehicle. Older tyres may develop  
hairline cracks as a result of ageing. When tyres are in regular  
use, the constant flexing activates softeners in the rubber, pre‐  
venting hardening and the development of cracks.  
It is therefore important to take into account not only the tread  
depth, but also the age of spare tyres, stored tyres and tyres which  
are not permanently in use. The tyre age can be determined from  
in the DOT designation, which includes the production date of the  
tyre.  
Example of a DOT number to 31.12.1999  
DOT ..... 5  
0
9
<
Stands for 199_  
Last digit is production year  
Week  
In this example, the production date is the 50th week of 1999.  
Example of a DOT number from 01.01.2000  
DO ..... 0  
T
1
0
0
lk  
Last 2 digits is production year  
Week  
In this example, the production date is the 1st week of 2000.  
Recommendation  
♦ We recommend using tyres more than 6 years old only in  
emergencies and only with a cautious driving style.  
♦ When new tyres are fitted, the spare tyre may also be used if  
it is in flawless condition and is not more than 6 years old. The  
age of the tyre has a great influence on the high-speed capa‐  
bility of the tyre. It is possible to combine a spare tyre which is  
several years old with new tyres; however, this can have an  
adverse influence on car handling.  
♦ Tyres are always being further developed. This can lead, for  
example, to slight changes in the rubber compound, even if  
the tyres are of the same make, size and tread pattern.  
♦ All VW vehicles are factory-fitted with four identical tyres and  
wheels.  
Front-wheel drive vehicles:  
♦ For reasons of safety, tyres of the same make and with the  
same tread pattern should be mounted on one axle.  
Four-wheel drive vehicles:  
♦ Vehicles with four-wheel drive must always be equipped with  
four wheels with tyres of the same size, construction, tread  
pattern and make.  
Renewing tyres  
Tyres must always be renewed when:  
•
•
the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm is reached,  
there is visible mechanical damage  
14  
Rep. gr.44 - Wheels, tyres, vehicle geometry  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
•
the tyres are more than 6 years old.  
4.1.7  
Tyres with flange protection  
The tyre industry produces tyres with flange protection for alloy  
wheels. The flange protection is intended to protect alloy wheels  
from damage due to contact with kerbs.  
The combination of tyres with flange protection, steel wheels and  
a full-size hub cap can lead to the loss of the hub cap during op‐  
eration. The flexing of the tyre separates the hub cap from its seat.  
WARNING  
When fitting tyres, always make sure that only tyres without  
flange protection are fitted to steel rims.  
The figure shows a prohibited combination of steel rim, full-size  
hub cap and a tyre with flange protection.  
A - Flange protection  
B - Flange of a steel rim  
C - Full size hub cap  
lk  
WARNING  
This combination must never be fitted!  
4.1.8  
Winter tyres  
As of 01.05.2006, a change to the German road traffic regulations  
(StVO) came into force which caused the following supplement  
to be made: "The equipment in motor vehicles has to be adapted  
to the weather conditions. In particular, this includes suitable tyres  
and antifreeze in the windscreen washing system."  
Please point out to customers that, since May 1st 2006, they are  
legally obliged to adapt their vehicle's equipment, particularly the  
tyres, to winter weather conditions.  
For driving in winter, we recommend that the vehicle is equipped  
with winter tyres in the sizes recommended in table 2 of the parts  
certificates.  
As a basic rule:  
All tyre sizes listed in the vehicle documents can also be used as  
winter tyres.  
The handling characteristics may be affected by the use of winter  
tyres and the possible change in the dimensions of the wheel and  
tyre. Therefore, when using winter tyres, you must adapt your  
speed to the changed handling characteristics and to the road  
conditions.  
To achieve the best possible handling, winter tyres must be fitted  
on all wheels.  
If the vehicle is equipped with rims other than the factory-fitted  
rims, you must take the following into consideration when you fit  
winter tyres:  
♦ Wheels and wheel bolts are matched.  
♦ Whenever the wheels are changed, corresponding wheel bolts  
of the correct length and with the correctly shaped tapered  
4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)  
15  
Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...  
Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011  
seats are used 1). The secure fit of the wheels and the func‐  
tioning of the brakes depends this.  
♦ The suitability of winter tyres with less than 4…5 mm tread  
depth for winter operation is limited.  
♦ Some countries require winter tyres to have a tread depth of  
at least 4 mm.  
♦ We recommend that winter tyres be replaced after no more  
than six years. The special „winter properties“ of these tyres  
decline with age, regardless of how much they are used.  
Tyre pressure for winter tyres  
The tyre pressure for winter tyres must be 0.2 bar more than the  
applicable tyre pressure for standard tyres but not more than  
3.5 bar.  
Registration regulations in the Federal Republic of Germany  
Only when winter tyres are in use may the top speed that a vehicle  
can achieve be greater than the maximum speed specified by the  
speed symbol of the tyre.  
In this case, a label stating the following must be attached:  
Important! Winter tyres!  
Maximum speed … km/h  
Note  
This label must be clearly visible to the driver!  
1) A spherical cap is the curved surface of a section of a sphere cut by a plane.  
The tapered seats on the wheel bolt and in the wheel (rim) in the wheel bolt holes  
are spherical caps.  
lk  
4.1.9  
Reinforced and Extra Load (XL) tyres  
Some tyre manufacturers have for some time replaced the des‐  
ignation „Reinforced“ with the designation „Extra Load“. This  
designation has long been standard in non-European countries.  
Technically, there is no difference between them.  
Some tyre manufacturers also use the designation „XL“ for Extra  
Load tyres.  
Tyres with the designation „Reinforced“ or „Extra Load (XL)“ are  
of equal quality.  
4.1.10  
Snow chains  
Snow chains must be fitted to driven wheels only.  
On all-wheel drive vehicles, however, only the front wheels may  
be fitted with snow chains (or the rear wheels on the Amarok).  
It is not possible to use snow chains with all wheel and tyre com‐  
binations. Notes on this can be found in the vehicle tables of the  
parts certificate.  
If no particular type of snow chain is specified, then small-link  
chains may be used. These, including the chain fastener, may not  
protrude more than 15 mm beyond the wheel's tread and the inner  
wall.  
On some models, only special, small-link chains are possible with  
certain wheel and tyre combinations. Notes on this can be found  
in the vehicle tables of the parts certificate.  
16  
Rep. gr.44 - Wheels, tyres, vehicle geometry  

Related Topics

Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)
Tyre wear/ mileage Tyre noise Rough running caused by wheels/tyres Vehicle pulls to one side Tyre damage Useful information about rims Fitting and removing wheels Breakdown set for VW Vehicles

Popular Owner Manuals

Audi
Audi
BMW
BMW
Citroen
Citroen
Ford
Ford
Honda
Honda
Peugeot
Peugeot