9-72 Vehicle CareTraction – AA, A, B, CThe traction grades, fromhighest to lowest, are AA, A, B,and C. Those grades representthe tire's ability to stop on wetpavement as measured undercontrolled conditions onspecified government testsurfaces of asphalt andconcrete. A tire marked C mayhave poor traction performance.Warning: The traction gradeassigned to this tire is based onstraight-ahead braking tractiontests, and does not includeacceleration, cornering,hydroplaning, or peak tractioncharacteristics.Temperature – A, B, CThe temperature grades areA (the highest), B, and C,representing the tire's resistanceto the generation of heat and itsability to dissipate heat whentested under controlledconditions on a specified indoorlaboratory test wheel. Sustainedhigh temperature can cause thematerial of the tire to degenerateand reduce tire life, andexcessive temperature canlead to sudden tire failure. Thegrade C corresponds to a levelof performance which allpassenger car tires must meetunder the Federal Motor SafetyStandard No. 109. Grades B andA represent higher levels ofperformance on the laboratorytest wheel than the minimumrequired by law. Warning: Thetemperature grade for this tire isestablished for a tire that isproperly inflated and notoverloaded. Excessive speed,underinflation, or excessiveloading, either separately or incombination, can cause heatbuildup and possible tire failure.