As temperatures get cooler\nand leaves will begin to fall, it\u2019s a helpful reminder to pay attention to your\ncar\u2019s tires because road conditions can change with the weather. Tires are\namong the most important aspects of your vehicle when it comes to safety. They not\nonly put your vehicle in motion, they help control how much you slip and slide\n(or don\u2019t!) on the road. Neglecting tire maintenance can lead to a serious\naccident and incur far more damage and expenses than just paying to get tires\nrepaired and replaced regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As autumn approaches, here\nare a few tire maintenance tips to keep your vehicle safe on the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, many maintenance\nissues with tires can be seen with the naked eye. At least once a month, you\nshould check your tires for any cracks, bulges or punctures, or items stuck in\nthem that could be masking a puncture, like a nail head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, you should\nkeep an eye on your tires\u2019 tread level. If your tires\u2019 treads are too low,\nthey\u2019re more liable to slip and slide on roads. Many tires are equipped with a\ntread bar to help you track how low the tread is. If you don\u2019t have a tread bar,\nyou can try the quarter test: stick a quarter in the lowest level of tread you\ncan find. If you can see all of Washington\u2019s head, the tread is too low, and\nit\u2019s time to replace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with a visual\ninspection, be sure to check your tire pressure at least once a month. You can\ndo this at most gas stations and adjust air as needed. In cold weather, tire\npressure can drop, and tires with too little pressure pose a risk of blowing\nout. Take ten minutes when you fill up your tank to check the tire pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And don\u2019t forget to check\nyour spare tire, too, to make sure it\u2019s not damaged in case you ever need it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another important aspect of\ntire maintenance is tire rotation, the practice of moving tires from one\nposition on the vehicle to another (back to front and vice versa). Front tires\nwear down faster than rear tires as a result of steering and braking. Regular tire\nrotation helps tires wear evenly and last longer. Check your car\u2019s user manual\nto be sure, but most tires need be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. Rotating\ntires at every other oil change is another good rule of thumb to follow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether going on a long\ntrip or moving, it can be tempting to pack your car to the brim, but this can be\na safety hazard. Every vehicle has a weight limit. Check your user manual \u2013 or\neven the placard on your door frame \u2013 to see what your own car\u2019s weight limit\nis. If you exceed it, you risk popping the tires and doing serious damage to\nyour vehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Replacing tires can be expensive\nbut risking a flat or popping a tire while driving could lead to an accident,\nso it\u2019s not worth putting off. Tires should be replaced every few years,\nregardless of the number of miles driven, but depending on how often and how\nfar you drive your vehicle, your tires will likely need to be replaced much\nsooner than that. Check your user manual to see if your manufacturer has\nspecific recommendations for tire replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tires are only as good as\nthe wheels they\u2019re attached to. When your car\u2019s wheels come out of alignment, it\nputs unnecessary strain on other parts of your vehicle. Wheels can become\nmisaligned from bumps, going over curbs or even just driving long distances.\nCheck the alignment annually to be sure nothing\u2019s amiss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flat or blown tires can\nhappen anywhere, anytime, at any speed. Typically, the first sign that your\ntire has blown is that your car will slow down (even when your foot is on the\ngas) and your steering will be harder to control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try to remain calm and look\nfor a safe place to pull over as soon as possible. For safety reasons, you need\nan open space as far away from traffic as possible to change your tire or load\nyour vehicle onto a tow truck. If you get stuck with a flat tire in dangerous\nweather conditions or a dangerous area, such as a road with heavy traffic and\nnarrow shoulders, you may want to consider calling the local police for\nassistance, as well as a tow truck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re replacing your\ndamaged tire with a smaller spare, often called a \u201cdonut,\u201d remember that it\u2019s\nnot designed to bear the same weight or speed as a permanent tire, so it\u2019s\nimportant to drive more slowly than usual once you get back on the road,\notherwise you could wind up with another flat tire and no spare. Donut tires\nare also not meant to be driven for very long; when possible, it\u2019s best to\ndrive directly to a tire shop for a permanent replacement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a tire hazard causes you to get into an accident, be sure to\u00a0follow these post-accident safety tips<\/a>\u00a0for gathering information from other drivers at the scene, contacting your auto insurer, and finding a local auto body shop. To find a reputable auto body shop near you, search Carwise.com and read reviews from real customers, find shop hours and locations, before and after photos, and certifications. With more than 21,000 shops to choose from, Carwise.com will help you find your perfect fit. Get started today: https:\/\/www.carwise.com\/auto-body-shops\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[30,105,127,261,262],"class_list":["post-2000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-maintenance","tag-auto-body-repair-2","tag-car-tires","tag-collision-repair-2","tag-tire-inspection","tag-tire-maintenance"],"yoast_head":"\n