Tyre Labelling at ATS Euromaster

Scroll left and right through the thumbnails below and click to find out more about each tyre labelling topic

In preparation for the introduction of a new European legislation on tyre labelling, we recently carried out a customer survey and almost 90% of motorists admitted they were unaware of tyre labelling legislation coming into place in 2012.

At ATS Euromaster, we believe that selecting the right tyre for a vehicle and meeting the customer's requirements will be simplified with the introduction of tyre labelling.

In our survey, over 90 per cent of respondents agreed, acknowledging that labelling would influence and aid them when purchasing tyres.

Our survey revealed that customers would be most likely to look for information on tyre labelling through the web, so we have launched a brand new and dedicated section of our website to proving our customers with more information about this topic.

Tyre labelling – what is it?

Tyres are critical to every part of a vehicle's function - they impact on reliability, fuel efficiency and safety, stopping distances and noise reduction, not to mention the ability to cope with extreme weather (ice and snow) and poor road conditions.

Selecting the right tyre for your vehicle, and your requirements, means either prioritising your needs or choosing a tyre which offers good all-round performance in a number of key areas.

For example:

Some tyres would be specified for drivers concerned about road noise (or 'rolling noise' as it is sometimes called).
Some tyres are better for fuel economy.
Some tyres are better for high performance.
Some tyres perform well in each of these areas
And budget brands would be recommended where the main concern was low cost.

Continued on next page...

Tyre labelling – what is it? Cont.

The problem is that there is currently no objective, universal method of categorising tyres and explaining their features and benefits so that consumers - and the trade - can compare like with like quickly and easily.

The EU is setting out to solve that problem. From November 2012 a Europe-wide tyre labelling system will be introduced. However, it is expected that manufacturers will start introducing the system before that date.

This will help you and your local ATS Euromaster team to select precisely the right tyre for your specific requirements.

When will you see the labels?

You'll see them on pretty much all car and van tyres. Truck tyres will be graded too, tyres are critical to every part of a vehicle’s function - they impact on reliability, fuel efficiency and safety, stopping distances and noise reduction, not to mention the ability to cope with extreme weather (ice and snow) and poor road conditions.

Selecting the right tyre for your vehicle, and your requirements, means either prioritising your needs or choosing a tyre which offers good all-round performance in a number of key areas. For example:

Some tyres would be specified for drivers concerned about road noise (or ‘rolling noise’ as it is sometimes called).
Some tyres are better for fuel economy.
Some tyres are better for high performance.
Some tyres perform well in each of these areas
And budget brands would be recommended where the main concern was low cost.

Continued on next page...

When will you see the labels? Cont.

This will help you and your local ATS Euromaster team to select precisely the right tyre for your specific requirements, but they won’t carry a physical label on each individual tyre.

There is no legal requirement for them to appear on the tyres supplied with a new car or van, unless the manufacturer offers a choice of tyres.

But replacement tyres must have labels which are clearly visible (to you, not just the retailer). If the tyres can't physically be seen, the retailer must inform you of the tyre’s individual rating.

Who decides what is on the label?

The tyre manufacturer will be told what information must be included and they will be required to use an approved design.

The EU is particularly focusing on safety and environmental issues in its labelling and there will be three key criteria:

Rolling resistance (which has an impact on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions) comes from the deformation of the tyre as it contacts the road. On average it can absorb 20% of the energy used to move the vehicle; reducing rolling resistance means better fuel consumption.
Wet grip (which affects safety)
Exterior rolling noise (sound pollution)

Tyre labelling won't include all tyres - specialist motorsport tyres, motorbike and pedal bike tyres and those made for vintage vehicles will be excluded, as will re-treads - but the vast majority of 'normal use' tyres sold for cars, vans, 4x4s, pick-ups and trucks, will be covered by the new system.

Are there any drawbacks to tyre labelling?

Well, it's a significant improvement on what we had, which was nothing at all!

It does have some shortcomings because it doesn't include everything. There are four notable exceptions which well-informed consumers, and ATS Euromaster staff, will be aware of:

The price of a tyre is one thing, but to judge whether or not it is good value, the buyer needs to know the projected life expectancy in miles. After all, a cheaper tyre that only lasts approximately 20,000 miles may be poor value compared to a more expensive tyre which lasts 30,000 miles.
The life of the tyre also affects its impact on the environment. A low-cost tyre which wears out faster costs the same amount of money to recycle as one which lasts twice as long. Therefore, fitting shorter-life tyres will mean more tyres to recycle.
The new labelling system takes wet grip into account but doesn't require a measure of wet grip when cornering, where in many cases it may be a more critical issue.
The system measures braking on wet roads, but not dry roads.

Does ATS Euromaster approve of tyre labelling?

Yes we do. Any additional information and data for use by consumers is a good thing.

Tyre labelling will increase user awareness that all tyres are not equal and that some have better performance profiles.

Generally speaking, informed buyers buy better. That applies to anything, not just tyres, so more information means consumers are likely to make better choices.

It draws particular attention to the problems of low cost tyres, often referred to as budget fitments.

How do I select the right tyres for me?

What’s on the label - Rolling Resistance

In most cases car and van tyres will have actual labels stuck to the tread of each tyre, or included with each batch of tyres sold.

This information will include:

Rolling resistance (which impacts on fuel consumption):

There will be a grade, ranging from A to G, for rolling resistance.
An A grade tyre will have 7.5% better fuel consumption than a G grade tyre.
That means that every 10,000 kilometres, 50 litres will be saved by using an A grade tyre.
This represents an average; depending on the road surface, journey type and driving style.

Continued on next page...

What’s on the label - Rolling Resistance. Cont.

Rolling resistance and fuel consumption: what you should know!

Whatever the grade of tyre:

Carry out monthly tyre pressure checks (under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption by 20%) Click here to look at our Vehicle Health Check page to find out more.
Tyres filled with normal air will lose pressure over time; filling with nitrogen reduces the speed of the pressure loss, and means your tyres stay at the correct (and most fuel-efficient) pressure for longer. We now also offer Nitrogen inflation click here to find out more.
Incorrect alignment can increase fuel consumption by 10% and leads to faster tyre wear. Have your wheel alignment checked once a year, and after any hard impact (such as hitting a pothole or kerb). Click here for Wheel Alignment
Dirty filters and oxidised spark plugs can increase fuel consumption. Make sure you have your vehicle serviced in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Engines with insufficient oil or poor quality oil work harder; cheap oil is a false economy as the engine will use more of it (and fuel consumption will rise). Check your oil level regularly. For more information on oil click here.

What’s on the label - Wet Grip Performance

Wet grip performance:

The labels go from A (the shortest braking distance) to F for the longest.
There are no D and G grades for car and van tyres.
The test is braking distance of a vehicle driving on a road covered with between 0.5 and 1.5mm of water.
At 80km per hour there will be a difference of four car lengths (around 18 metres) between cars fitted with A grade tyres and those with F grade tyres.

Wet grip performance: what you should know!

Under inflated tyres will have diminished road contact and reduced tyre grip (even more so in the wet). Look at our Vehicle Health Check page to find out more.
Brake fluid should be changed every two years / 60,000km.
Brake pads do not work as well once they have worn beyond 50%; if not changed in time the discs may become damaged. For more on Brakes click here.
Shock absorbers provide stability in braking; performance may be impaired if they are faulty. For more information on shock absorbers click here.

What’s on the label - External Noise

External noise:

Beyond 50 km per hour, rolling resistance noise normally exceeds engine noise.
On the label there will be a symbol of a tyre with three waves, some black and some merely in outline.
A tyre with three black waves is in compliance with current European regulation but will breech regulations to be introduced in 2016.
A tyre with two black waves is already in compliance with the 2016 regulations.
A tyre with one black wave will be at least three decibels quieter than the 2016 regulations.

External noise: what you should know!

Under-inflated tyres are noisier. Find out more about our vehicle health check by clicking here.

Click here to read our FAQ's for further information on tyre labelling.