FAQ

Do you offer any tips for driving in wintry conditions?

Thanks to their special compound, winter tires offer the elasticity required to ensure maximum grip throughout the cold season, regardless of the road conditions. Summer tires can become hard when the temperature falls below 45 degrees, thereby losing the flexibility needed to build up sufficient grip for braking, starting off and cornering. Because of their greater suppleness in the cold, winter tires are able to interlock with asphalt, snow and ice, even at lower temperatures.

Here a few tips to keep you from slipping and sliding on the way to work in the morning:

Listen to the weather report the evening before. If snow is predicted, you should plan to get going earlier, because of traffic jams and delay. In really treacherous weather, the safest thing to do is stay home.
Before taking off, make sure all car windows are completely clear of snow and ice; if you try to get by with just a peephole, you may end up sharing the blame for an accident.
Check your rearview mirror and then test your brakes as soon as it is safe to do so. This will give you a feeling for road conditions.
Avoid shortcuts via residential side streets. These roads are cleared last, if at all.
Keep a greater following distance from the car in front of you.
Allow an extra wide safety margin when stopping at traffic lights and intersections and pay close attention to the vehicles in front of you.
Avoid braking just before the intersection, where it is usually especially slippery.
Be especially careful when crossing bridges! They can be treacherously slippery in winter because they are "cooled" from above and below. Fog can form ice on very cold days and make roads slick.

Be tire smart ... Play your PART

Did you know...

Each month, three out of four drivers wash their cars while only one out of seven correctly checks their tire pressure.
Motorists rank checking tire pressure as the second most important regular vehicle safety action, but more than three times as many drivers believe regular oil changes are most important to the safe operation of their vehicles
Only 15 percent of drivers properly check their tire inflation pressure.
To properly check tire inflation pressure: Check tire inflation pressure at least once a month Use the correct inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, not the pressure listed on the tire sidewall Check tires when they are cold or haven't been driven for at least three hours
More than half of drivers -- 55 percent -- incorrectly believe that the correct inflation pressure is printed on the tire sidewall.
Two out of three drivers don't know how to tell if their tires are bald.
71 percent of drivers do not check their tire pressure in their spare tire.

Proper tire care and safety is simple and easy. The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) recommends getting in the habit of taking five minutes every month to check your tires, including the spare.

Your tire maintenance checklist:

Pressure: Underinflation can lead to tire failure. It results in unnecessary tire stress, irregular wear, loss of control and accidents. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat!

Alignment: A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw your front end out of alignment and damage your tires. Have a tire dealer check the alignment periodically to ensure that your car is properly aligned.

Rotation: Regularly rotating your vehicle's tires will help you achieve more uniform wear. Unless your vehicle owner's manual has a specific recommendation, the guideline for tire rotation is approximately every 6,000-8,000 miles.

Tread: Advanced and unusual wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip the road in adverse conditions. Visually check your tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually smooth areas. Also check for signs of damage.

I have a set of summer tires. Do I need to replace them with winter or all season tires if I live in an area that only receives light snow and ice?

Summer tires are designed for warm weather only use only. It is not advisable to use summer tires in temperatures below 45 degrees. Regardless of the weather conditions.

Can I mount a tire on its wheel myself?

Do not attempt to mount tires on your own, you run the risk of seriously injuring yourself as well as the rim. See a qualified professional with proper training and experience.

How long can I drive on my temporary spare tire?

Temporary spares are designed to carry the same load as the standard size tire on your vehicle and can be applied to any position.

Maintain the proper inflation pressure as shown on the sidewall of the tire (a temporary spare tire requires a higher inflation pressure than a standard size tire).

Refer to the information on the sidewall of the tire for proper usage.

Have your standard tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible, then return the temporary spare to the trunk to conserve its useable tread life.

The temporary tire can be worn down to the tread wear indicators, the same as your standard tire.

Can I use summer or street sport tires in the winter?

Unfortunately, no. These tires are specifically designed for warm weather use. When average daily temperatures are at or below 45 °F /7 °C, you should make the switch to winter tires.

Why do my tires need to be balanced?

Properly balanced tire/wheel assemblies are important for driving comfort and long tire life. An unbalanced tire/wheel assembly can cause vibration, resulting in driver fatigue, premature tire wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. The assembly should be balanced when tires are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are mounted after repair. The tire/wheel assembly should be re-balanced at the first sign of vibration or "shimmy." Vibration may also be due to vehicle misalignment or mechanical problems.

How many miles should I get out of my tires?

There are many factors that contribute to the wear of your tires. Because driving habits and conditions vary it is impossible to predict the exact life of your tires. To ensure the longest life out of your tires take good care of them by:

Maintaining proper inflation.
Rotating your tires.
Inspecting tires once a month.
Practicing good driving habits.
Ensuring that wheels are properly aligned.

Replacing Air with Nitrogen

Using Nitrogen to Inflate Passenger and Light Truck Tires in Informal Service Applications

Introduction & Purpose Nitrogen is being offered as an alternative to air for tire inflation. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide general information about inflating tires with nitrogen.

Tires are designed and built to provide many miles of excellent service but must be maintained properly. The key element of proper tire maintenance is maintaining the recommended tire inflation pressure. The proper tire inflation pressure is recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and can be found on the vehicle’s tire placard or in the vehicle owner’s manual. Continental Tire recommends that the consumer check his/her tire inflation pressure at regular intervals of at least once per month and before every long trip or twice per month depending on local regulations, customs, or conditions.

Using Nitrogen in Tires Nitrogen is an inert (non-flammable) gas – basically, nothing more than dry air with oxygen removed. For example, ambient air contains about 78% nitrogen. Because of nitrogen’s inert properties, it is often used in highly specialized tire service applications and/or demanding environments. These tire service applications usually include aircraft, mining, and commercial/heavy use. Also, nitrogen is used in professional motor racing involving extreme vehicle speeds. We understand that dry nitrogen is used in this regard to help reduce tire pressure variations where even small differences in pressure can affect vehicle handling at the extreme limits of performance. For normal everyday consumer tire service applications, nitrogen tire inflation is not required. However, nitrogen tire inflation does not harm tires and may marginally contribute to reductions in tire inflation loss by permeation. Nevertheless, nitrogen will not prevent any tire inflation loss caused by punctures, tire/rim interface (bead) leaks, valve leaks, valve/rim interface leaks, wheel leaks, and other mechanical leaks. Again, the use of nitrogen alone does not substitute for the importance of regularly checking tire inflation pressure. If the tire inflation pressure is below the pressure specified on the vehicle placard, the tire must be re-inflated – whether with air or nitrogen – to the proper inflation pressure. Do not operate tires underinflated and/or overloaded (see “Warning”). Whether inflated with air or nitrogen, regular tire inflation pressure maintenance remains critical and necessary. Use of nitrogen alone is not a replacement for regular tire inflation pressure maintenance.

WARNING ! Underinflation and/or overloading tires will create excessive stresses and heat build up that can lead to tire disablement, such as by a tread-belt separation and/or detachment, causing serious injury or death.

Tire Repair

A consumer should never repair a damaged tire. Only a trained tire specialist who can base his/her assessment on a thorough and comprehensive inspection of the specific tire can determine whether an individual tire is suitable for repair or should be removed from service. This assessment should also take into account the complete service life history of the tire including inflation, load, operating conditions, etc.. If the tire specialist decides to repair the tire, then he should strictly follow all appropriate national tire industry repair standards regarding the inspection process and repair procedures. Continental is not responsible for the specialist's decisions or the repaired tire. Continental advises that a repair to one of its tires invalidates the manufacturer's warranty.

SSR TIRES: Even a trained tire specialist may be unable to recognize internal structural damage to a Self Supporting Run Flat (SSR) tire resulting from having been driven in an under inflated or zero pressure condition. Such damage may not be visible on the surface of the inner liner or sidewall making it impossible to determine the tire suitability for repair or reuse. General Tires does not recommend any repair to or reuse of Run Flat (SSR) tires.

Checking tires for wear

There are often early warning signs of wear problems. Watch for these early warning signs and you can prevent many wear problems that shorten tire life by thousands of miles. Here are some of the most common signs to look for:

High and low areas or unusually smooth areas.
Outer edge or both outer edges wearing faster than the center of the tire.
Center of the tread wearing faster than the outer edges.
Signs of feathering.

Inspect your tires frequently, look for any stones, pieces of glass, metal or other foreign objects that may wedge in the tread, they may eventually cause air loss.

What is the Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI ®)?

Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI)

The VAI (Visual Alignment Indicator) allows the user to check wheel misalignment to avoid irregular wear of the tires. The VAI is represented three times in the circumference of the tire by two additional sipes (2/32" tread depth) on the opposite shoulder blocks of the tire. If the sipes of the VAI wear off differently (one side more than the other for example), it means that there is potential misalignment of the wheels.
This assists the consumer in minimizing the chance of premature tire wear whilst providing you with a customer service and wheel alignment sales opportunity.

Where do I find the proper inflation for my tires?

The vehicle manufacturer specifies the proper inflation pressure for your original equipment tires, (this also applies to aftermarket tires of the same size and type). The proper inflation for your vehicle's tires can be found in several places:

Located in your vehicle's owner manual.
Listed on the inside of your glove box or center armrest compartment.
The placard on the edge of the driver's or front passenger's door or frame.
On the vehicles fuel door. Some vehicles may have LT-metric (prefix for light truck tires) size tires installed although the vehicle calls for P-metric (prefix for passenger tires). In this case please contact us to obtain the proper inflation pressure for the LT-metric tires.

Can I use the temporary spare tire more than once?

Yes you can. Check your tread wear indicators, and remember to keep your spare properly inflated.

TIRE ROTATION:

To achieve uniform wear and to maximize tread life, your tires should be regularly rotated. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the rotation pattern and interval. Unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer, rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000-12,000 kilometers) or sooner if uneven tread wear begins to appear. If tires start to show uneven tread wear, ask the service person to check and/or correct any vehicle wheel misalignment or other mechanical problem.

Full-size spare tires (not temporary spares) of the same size and construction as the ground contact tires should be included in the tire rotation. Always check and adjust the inflation pressure of the full-size spare when incorporating it into rotation.

Adjust the tire inflation pressures according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the new wheel position (specified front and rear position tire pressures may be different).

Rotation of your tires may affect the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Consult your vehicle owner's manual or a qualified service professional to make the proper adjustments or recalibration of the system. Please note: Do not reverse the rolling direction of directional tires.

TIRE MIXING:

It is recommended that the tire size, load index and speed symbol are in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's specification for all wheel positions. In many countries, this is a legal requirement. Driving your vehicle with a non-recommended mix of tire sizes, constructions, and speed ratings can be dangerous. Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations and/or seek the advice from a trained tire specialist if you consider upgrading your tires with different sizes, constructions, load ratings or speed ratings.

Some vehicles may come factory equipped with different size tires fitted to the front and rear axle. Do not change this configuration unless approved by the vehicle manufacturer.

Do not operate your vehicle with more than one temporary spare in use. A temporary spare may only be used at the limited speeds and distances as indicated on the sidewall and/or the label attached to the tire/wheel.

On which axle should the new tires be fitted?

It is recommended to replace all ground contact tires at the same time. If you do not replace all ground contact tires at one time, then at least, replace all the tires on one axle.

If only one axle set of tires is replaced, then it is recommended to install the newest tires on the rear axle. This may complicate tire rotation, and caution is urged if the tires have significant differences, such as state of wear, tire size, construction, and speed ratings. Consult a trained tire specialist for best practices.

Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.

Other important considerations:

The date of manufacture and condition (e.g., signs of cracking, remaining tread depth) of the spare tire should also be checked and considered for replacement.

For 4-wheel drive and All Wheel drive vehicles, especially those equipped with electronic systems such as anti-lock brakes, traction control or stability control, consult your vehicle owner's manual for any special tire fitment requirements. If you do not follow these requirements it may even cause damage to your vehicle/ transmission. Winter tires should be fitted to all wheel positions, not mixed with all season or summer tires. If only one axle set of winter tires are used, then it is recommended to install them on the rear axle. Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.

Tire Rotation and Tire Mixing

TIRE ROTATION:

Adjust the tire inflation pressures according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for the new wheel position (specified front and rear position tire pressures may be different).

TIRE MIXING:

Some vehicles may come factory equipped with different size tires fitted to the front and rear axle. Do not change this configuration unless approved by the vehicle manufacturer.

On which axle should the new tires be fitted?

It is recommended to replace all ground contact tires at the same time. If you do not replace all ground contact tires at one time, then at least, replace all the tires on one axle.

Placing greater traction on the rear axle is recommended to prevent a possible oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability on slippery surfaces.

Other important considerations:

The date of manufacture and condition (e.g., signs of cracking, remaining tread depth) of the spare tire should also be checked and considered for replacement.

How often should I rotate my tires?

To achieve uniform wear and to maximize tread life, your tires should be regularly rotated. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation for the rotation pattern and interval. Unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer, rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000-12,000 kilometers) or sooner if uneven tread wear begins to appear. If tires start to show uneven tread wear, ask the service person to check and/or correct any vehicle wheel misalignment or other mechanical problem.