Summer tires in cold weather: check the exact product

Summer tires in cold weather: check the exact product

A summer tire’s category and one air temperature do not establish cold-weather suitability. NHTSA describes summer tires for warm weather. For cold, snow or ice, check the exact tire and vehicle instructions before driving; this page supplies no universal safe temperature.

Source: NHTSA TireWise — Buying: What type of tire should I buy?

Locate any product-specific operating, storage and handling temperature restrictions. If their meaning or applicability is unclear, ask the tire or vehicle manufacturer before use. A pressure adjustment cannot establish that a summer tire is suitable for snow or ice. Do not use a short drive or a home grip test as clearance.

Keep the make, model, article number and full sidewall marking together. Two tires with the same nominal size may have different specifications. Use the product data sheet and vehicle handbook for restrictions, then compare the same test conditions. A category alone does not establish dry/wet grip, fuel economy, wear or comfort.

No indexed braking percentages, compound transition temperatures or fixed 7 °C crossover are published here without an identified product test. A useful comparison names the tires, size, vehicle, surface, temperature and procedure. NHTSA category advice is not such a comparison test.

Country rules and route checks

Country rules and route checks · Summer, all-season or winter tires: choosing by use