Tires: Speed Rating, rubber manufacturers association, speed rating

Question
Is there any documetation we can print that states a dealer cannot put a lower speed rated tire on a vehicle than that vehicle calls for?  Anything available from TIA?

Answer
Barry,

To my knowledge there are no regulations - Federal, state, or local - that address the issue of speed ratings of tires.

HOWEVER, there have been several court cases where it was found that a tire dealer applied a lower speed rating and it was judged that this lead to an accident and the dealer lost the case.  Many people judge this as having the effect of law - and they state it as such.

As a result, many tire dealers make it a policy NOT to put on lower speed rated tires than came originally.  There is a certain amount of logic to this.  It's a legally defendable position.

The RMA (Rubber Manufacturers Association) makes that recommendation in Chapter 3 Page 41 in the latest version of their manual for Passenger Car and Light Truck.

http://www.rma.org/publications/tire_service_professionals/index.cfm?Publication

I don't know if that is helpful or not.  My opinion is that people will still object.  In some cases they have a point - and in some they do not.