What Does a Red or Yellow Dot on Your Tires Mean?

If you had new tires installed recently, red and yellow paint dots on the sidewall are perfectly normal. Here’s why they’re there.

Because it’s nearly impossible to manufacture a perfectly balanced round tire, manufacturers identify any irregularities, such as the tire’s weight, construction, and structure, with these dots of paint. Vibrating, unbalanced tires can negatively affect ride quality, fuel economy, and braking effectiveness, among other things. The dots help service technicians correctly install and balance the tire.

Where are the paint dots placed?

The yellow dots identify where a tire weighs the least—the lightest point on a tire. The yellow dot should be lined up and directly next to the valve stem, which is the wheel’s heaviest point.
The red dots identify where the tire is flattest—the lowest point on a tire. The red dot should be directly across from the highest point of the wheel, which is usually indicated by a colored dot or a notch on the wheel.

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