When to Get New Car Tires
Tires are among the most important parts on your car, but luckily they're also among the easiest to check and maintain. Inspect your tires on a regular basis, and replace them when you have insufficient tread or before you've driven or exceeded the rated mileage.
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Year and Mileage Ratings
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Tire manufactures rate their products by, among other things, mileage and lifespan. A "5-year/40,000 mile" tire means that you can theoretically drive for five years or for 40,000 miles before replacing it. In reality, however, a tire can fail well before either of these milestones. Manufacturers know this, and therefore honor the warranty on their products only if certain conditions are met; for example, the customer has to prove that the tires were not balanced improperly.
To find out how old your tires are, locate the four-digit number listed after "DOT" on your tire; it gives you the week and the year the tire was manufactured. For example, "0307" would mean that your tire was made in the third week of 2007.
Tire Condition
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A good indicator of your tires' utility is their condition. Inspect them regularly; once a month is sufficient. Look for cracks, blisters, bulges and cuts on your tires' sidewalls. Severe weather can affect tire condition over time, especially if a car is not garaged. If you see extensive damage to the sidewalls, replace your tires to prevent a blow-out.
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Tread
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Inspect your tires' tread to make sure you're getting enough traction on the road. The legal minimum tire tread in most states is 2/32 of an inch. If you have less than that, replace your tires immediately; they won't pass inspection and won't give you safe traction while driving. If you do a lot of driving in the rain, replace your tires if you have less than 4/32 of an inch of tread; otherwise your car may hydroplane, according to TireRack.com. If you drive a lot in the snow, replace your tires when you reach 6/32 of an inch; otherwise your tires may not provide enough traction.
Use a tire tread gauge to measure tread. If you don't have one, you can use a penny. Slide the penny (Lincoln's head first) down into one of the grooves on your tire. If any of Lincoln's head is covered, then you have at least 2/32 of an inch of tread; if not, you need to replace your tires. Measure the tread on all tires, both on the inside and outside, to see if your tread is wearing unevenly.
Some tires have horizontal "wear bars" that are visible when only 2/32 of an inch of tread remains; replace your tires if you see the wear bars.
Uneven Wear
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You may find that the tread is a different depth depending upon where you measure. The inside tread may be lower than the outside tread, for example. Uneven wear could indicate an alignment problem, which wears down one part of your tire faster. Have your wheels aligned so that your tires last longer.
Maintenance
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Tire maintenance is simple to do and may prevent an accident. Once a month, check your tire pressure with a tire pressure gauge, but only while the tires are cold--that is, after the car has been parked for a few hours. Inflate your tires to the car manufacturer's specifications; the recommend PSI is found on a sticker located on your vehicle, usually on the driver's side door jamb. Properly inflated tires give you better control while driving, improved gas mileage and longer tire life.
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