Nobody wants their car to break down. To keep your vehicle running well, you need to provide it with regular service. Have the oil changed a few times per year, rotate the tires, and check and replace the brakes as needed. A good auto care service will take care of all these maintenance tasks for you. However, you may still want to know more about the processes they follow, when service is needed, and what other types of services may help your car last longer. We've build this website for people like you — responsible car owners who just want to learn more. Enjoy!
Tires are often one of the most underappreciated parts of any car. While many people don't start thinking about their tires until they wear out, these unassuming pieces of rubber are the only thing connecting your vehicle to the road. Problems with your tires can lead to unpredictable handling, unsafe behavior in wet conditions, or even catastrophic failures.
The best way to prevent these situations is to monitor your tires closely and recognize the signs of trouble. This simple three-step guide will give you all the information you need to maintain your tires and spot issues before they become hazards on the road.
Step 1. Monitor Air Pressure
Vehicle manufacturers use complex engineering principles to determine the ideal air pressure for your car's front and rear tires. On most vehicles, you can find this information on a sticker attached to the inside of the driver's door. Using air pressures outside of the recommended range can impact fuel economy, shorten the lifespan of your tires, and cause unusual and potentially dangerous wear.
One of the best and easiest things you can do to maintain your tires is to monitor their air pressure and ensure it stays within your manufacturer's recommendations. Even if your car includes a tire pressure monitoring system, a high-quality pressure gauge will help you get a more accurate reading. Consider checking your tire pressure at least once per month or every few gas fill-ups.
Step 2. Check Tread Depth
Your tire's tread blocks provide traction under less-than-ideal conditions. While a perfectly smooth racing slick might work fine on well-maintained asphalt that's as dry as a bone, real-world driving conditions are rarely this nice. Instead, your tires must contend with uneven roads, heavy rains, snow, and ice.
Your tread blocks help to provide traction under these conditions, funneling water away from your tires so they can maintain their grip on the road surface. As your treads wear down, your tires can become dangerously unpredictable in wet conditions. It's essential to know how to check your tread depth so you can tell if it's time to replace your tires.
Step 3. Schedule Routine Rotations and Inspections
Watching your air pressure and tread depth will catch many of the most common tire issues, but not all of them. Uneven tire wear is another potentially significant problem, and it can often go unnoticed since the tread may wear quickly on the inside of the tire or other out-of-sight areas. These problems can be hard to spot if you don't routinely lift your car on a lift or jacks.
Scheduling routine tire rotations with a tire shop will serve the dual purpose of encouraging your tires to wear evenly while also allowing you to discover existing problems. Tire technicians will inspect your tires during the rotation procedure, alerting you to unusual wear patterns or signs that your tires may require replacement.
For more information, contact a local tire shop.
Share26 September 2022
