When Do You Need a Tire Change?

One of the most important safety features of your car that is often overlooked is the condition of your tires. In order to create grip and traction to the road, your tires must be in good shape. Tires with little to no traction are simply hazardous, and you’ll find yourself slipping all over the road, especially when the road is wet.

But when do you need a tire change? This article from your team at Peake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT will educate you on some of the indicators that you need a tire change, so you can ensure that your vehicle is properly equipped to keep you safe on your drives around Ontario, Wayne County, and Sodus.

The Five-Year Rule

The lifespan of a tire can vary greatly based upon how and where you drive, so there are no hard-and-fast rules for when you need a tire change. However, it’s safe to assume that after five years of use, your tires will have been through quite a bit of wear and tear. After five years, you’ll need to have your tires thoroughly inspected at least once a year to ensure that they are still safe.

The 10-Year Rule

Even if your tires still appear to be in pretty good condition, you’ll want to have them replaced after 10 years of use as a safety precaution. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that tires should be replaced every six years.

Regular Maintenance

To extend the life of your tires for as long as possible, it’s important that you take proper care of them. This includes keeping them appropriately inflated, and having regular wheel alignments and tire rotation services to prevent uneven wear, which shortens the life of the tires. You’ll also want to regularly perform an at-home inspection of your tires to be sure they’re not damaged or unusually worn.

The Penny Test

This is a classic way to test if the tread of your tire is in good shape. All you need to do is stick a penny into your tire’s center tread with Lincoln diving headfirst into the widest part of the tread. If you can see the top of Abe’s head, your tire’s tread is almost completely worn away and you’ll need to have them replaced as soon as possible.

If you can partially see the hair on top of Lincoln’s head, you’ll need new tires very soon and you’ll want to start shopping for them. If you can’t see Abe’s hair at all, your tires have plenty of tread left, so you don’t need to replace them.

When Do You Need a Tire Change?

We hope this article helped to answer the question, “when do you need a tire change?” If you’ve had your tires for at least five years, or if you’ve tested your tread and found it to be insufficient, it’s time to visit the service center at Peake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT and get your tires inspected or replaced. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and we’ll have you safely back on the roads of Ontario, Wayne County, and Sodus in no time.