Your tires will perform well until the day you replace them, if you look after them properly.
However, if your vehicle doesn’t handle or brake how it used to, or if there’s excessive vibration, it could be time for a trip to your dealer. Rotation, balancing or alignment might help, or it might be time to look at buying a new set.
Tire pressure can affect your car’s handling, turning, braking and fuel efficiency. A tire at the wrong pressure will wear out faster and might put your safety at risk.
It’s important to do this, because tires lose pressure all the time.
Even in ideal conditions they lose about 0.069 bar or 1 pound per square inch (psi) per month – and that’s a figure that rises with the temperature. So check your tire pressure at least once a month, and while you’re at it have a good look at your treads. If you don’t know what the recommended pressure is, you can find it in your owner’s manual. The tires maximum inflation pressure can also be found on the sidewall of your tire and should not be exceeded.
The tires at the front of your vehicle often wear out faster than the ones at the back. By changing them frequently it helps them wear more evenly and lets you get the most out of their tread life.
Note: rotating your tires won’t correct wear problems caused by incorrect inflation pressures.
It’s a good idea to rotate your tires roughly every 6,000 miles. There are other factors that may mean you need to rotate your tires more frequently:
We recommend that you go to your dealer or a garage to have a professional do it. But you can do it yourself, and it’s easy enough to do. You don’t need any specialist tools – just some space and a few hours. Always check your vehicle owner’s manual for any recommendations by your vehicle manufacturer.
You should only rotate tires front-to-back if the tires are all the same size.
Some vehicles come with different sized tires on the front and rear axles.
When rotating tires that have a directional tread pattern, make sure you follow the arrows on the tire’s sidewall.
You’ll need to do this if your vehicle uses different-sized directional tires, or wheels with different front and rear offsets.
Regular tire tests and checking the tread on all four of your tires can help diagnose potential problems. Check them at least once a month, as well as before and after long journeys.
You can only see these bars of hard rubber when your tire’s tread has become worn. If you can see them, your tires need replacing. If you’re not sure where they are, you’ll see a mark on the sidewall that indicates where to look.
For winter tires, Dunlop recommends a minimum tread depth of 4mm. Check them with a tread depth gauge (they aren’t expensive if you haven’t got one) and make sure you measure both the inside and outside of your treads.
Things get stuck in your tread all the time. Most of the time they’re easy to remove, but if you spot something that looks as if it’s gone through the rubber, like a nail, leave it in until you can get to a garage. Otherwise you’re likely to end up with a flat tire.
If they’re worn on both of their edges, you might need to inflate them or check for leaks. Tires lose air naturally, but driving on underinflated tires uses more fuel and puts you at greater risk of accidents. If you notice that only the front tires have worn edges, you might be taking corners too quickly. Make sure you regularly check your tire pressure.
If the centre of the tread is wearing more than the outer edges, you might have overinflated your tires. This can increase the risk of a tire blowout. Get a pressure gauge and then deflate to the recommended pressure level.
The wear patterns on your treads might indicate problems elsewhere. If you notice uneven patches of wear, or bald spots, you might need your wheels balanced or aligned. Sometimes bald spots indicate that your shocks are worn.
Your tires won’t wear out at the same rate. The front of your vehicle carries the engine and does most of the steering work, so tires on your front axle will wear out more quickly. If they seem to be wearing more than normal, you should have your suspension checked. If wear is greater on one side of the vehicle than the other, it might be time for an alignment.
If you notice that your tires have a sawtoothed or feathered appearance around the edges, the likely cause is erratic rubbing against the road. That’s a sign that you may need an alignment.
All tires wear out or become damaged and will eventually need replacing. How quickly that happens depends on various things, like your driving habits, where you live and how well you maintain your tires.
You should inspect your tires regularly – at least once a month. Check the below to see if your tires need replacing: