Tire Care

GET MORE LIFE FROM YOUR TIRES WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE AND GOOD DRIVING HABITS

Tire Maintenance - ensuring your tires are properly maintained will prolong tire life as well as improve fuel economy.  This is good for your wallet and good for the environment.  

1. Air pressure should be set and maintained as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.  Tire pressure information is usually located inside the door jam, and in the owner's manual.  Visually check your tires for under inflation before each trip, and use a pressure gauge to accurately check the air pressure at fixed intervals and when the tire is cold - at least once a month is recommended - and always before leaving on any long trip.  Keep a good quality tire gauge in the glove box just for this purpose.  To make this job easier, tire pressure monitoring systems are also available: (1) tire pressure monitoring safety caps provide at a glance visual air pressure check while the vehicle is parked (typically GREEN=safe, YELLOW=caution, RED=danger); or (2) an active wireless electronic tire pressure monitoring system monitors tire pressure while you drive, and warns of low tire pressure.
2. Balanced tires - tires must be balanced on the wheels or rims.  Tires that are not properly balanced can cause vehicle vibration leading to increased suspension component wear, and cause uneven tire wear, thereby reducing the life of your tires.
3. Rotating tires - rotate your tires at the intervals recommended by your vehicle manufacturer.  Approximately 6000 miles or 10000 km is a good guideline.
4. Wheel Alignment - proper wheel alignment is crucial to the life of your tires and suspension components.  Improper wheel alignment can result in premature tire wear, and in some cases cause the vehicle to pull to one side.
5. Inspect for damage - periodically inspect your tires for damage.  This is especially important if you drive on rough or unpaved roads, or if you notice an under inflated tire which was fine the day before.  Get damaged tires checked by a professional - sometimes a damaged tire can be safely fixed.
6. Tread wear indicators - check the tread wear indicators or wear bars located around the outer circumference of the tire.  This is especially important as your tires get older.  The tread wear indicators indicate how much safe tread is remaining.  When the tread wears down to the tread wear indicator it is time to replace the tire.  If you're not sure how to locate and check the tread wear, ask a tire professional to show you how.
7. Don't forget the spare - check your spare once a month, and before going on any long trips.  

Protecting your tires - even if you don't drive one day on your tires, they are susceptible to breakdown caused by the environment.  Ozone and ultraviolet (UV) light attack tires causing elasticity loss, cracking, and dry rot.  Tire manufacturers use carbon black and protective waxes to help fight the effects of ozone and UV light.  A quality exterior rubber protectant will reduce long term breakdown and keep your tires looking great.  Stay away from raw silicone oil based products, as these deplete the protective wax in the tire.

Driving habits - a sure way of extending tire life is to practice good driving habits.  Jack rabbit starts, tire screeching stops, and fast cornering, decrease tire life dramatically.  Avoiding these types of driving habits will make your tires last longer, be less stressful on your vehicle's engine, transmission, and braking systems, increase fuel efficiency, and save you money in the long run.