Tires could possibly be the least complicated, yet critical elements of your vehicle, and keeping them in great condition is necessary for a safe drive. However, over time, these can deal with different types of issues, and sometimes, they will signal you in less obvious ways that they need a replacement. The performance of these elements aren’t important for safety purposes solely, but for efficiency and car performance in general as well, so if you always want to enjoy a smooth drive, having top-quality tires installed becomes a priority. You may be currently wondering if it’s time to start looking for new tires or if your old ones can still do the job. Well, there are a few signs you should be attentive of, in order to reach a conclusion here. Look into the following aspects and things will become clearer for you on this particular subject:
Flats
Losing a bit of air from time to time can be normal for the average tyre, so if you have dealt with this issue a couple of times, replacing them might not be the only solution available. However, when the scenario repeats its frequently, and your tyres are constantly deflating, it means their time has run out, and you need new ones. Functional tyres are able to hold a proper amount of air, and the ones that don’t should no longer be in use. When you are having your vehicle inspected, someone with expertise can tell you if the tyre itself is the cause of the flat or if your wheel or “rim” is the thing that is causing this issue. Benched wheels can’t maintain the seal around the inner part, leading to deflation.
Waring light
If your car model was produced later than 2008, the odds are, you have a low tire pressure warning light system. When the light pops up in your dash board, there isn’t much you can do than investigate the problem further at an auto repair shop. This usually looks like a “U”, and it has an exclamation point right in the middle. Deepening on the settings that have been made during the manufacturing, once the light goes off, a problem with the tire pressure exists. Although you can add some air yourself, if the indicator doesn’t disappear, you will need a professional opinion. In some cases, a car tire puncture repair might be sufficient, while in others, a total replacement is advised – a specialist will point you in the right direction here.
Bad mileage
Even having your tyres a little low on air can lead to a bad mileage problem, so when an actual replacement is demanded, you can imagine how much gas you are actually wasting. If you know your vehicle quite well, and an unexpected and unexplained problem has started to appear, in terms of mileage, this might be a warning sign that you are in need of a tyre replacement. Although it might take you some time to notice you are actually losing at the pump, if you are attentive of your driving behaviour and usual gas costs, you will figure things out.
Cracks
You can often figure out if your tyres are own out just by looking at their condition. Old tyres will make cracks and will look beat up from the first glance. Although a few small cracks might not mean you can no longer use them, when the number of cracks increases and they become wider, changing the tyres is in fact necessary.
Low tread
If you have been a driver for a long time, you probably know by now that tyres with low tread, or no tread at all present high safety concerns. Grabbing traction on the road is no longer possible, when this issue exists, which means facing a car crash is highly probable. Bursting while you are on the road is also a possibility due to law-tread, so this is one of the things you should be attentive of each time you get behind the wheel, just to be precautious. Letting your tyres lose most of their tread until getting them replaces is a hazardous decision you should always avoid. Monitoring this particular aspect isn’t at all difficult. – a visual inspection is usually sufficient, and if not, you can use a coin to inspect the tyre’s tread. You can find plenty of tutorials on YouTube that teach you how to correctly spot potential alignment issues and a worn out tread.
Vibration
Although all cars vibrate, especially on roads that aren’t exactly smooth, you can notice if the tire itself has an odd vibration. As soon as you experience too much vibration when you are on the road, consult a mechanic, and find out if the root of the problem is an alignment issue or bad suspension.
A maximum of 6 years of use
As great and qualitative as your installed tires might have initially been when first buying them, and a preventive as you drive, a regular replacement is still mandatory. These elements usually come with a 4 digit code that indicates their exact age. Transportation departments are obligated to insert these codes in the majority of countries. The last two digits stand for the year of production. As specialists recommend, you are able to use the tires for a maximum of 6 years. If your tires as older than that, then you have the answer you needed. Although 10 year after manufacturing is the maximum service for these items, professionals advise you to not use this maximum drive time, because it can be risky.
Driving with worn-out, damages tires can put your safety and the safety of other drivers at risk, so knowing when it’s time to pursue repairs or an actual replacement, is necessary. There are a few standard factors that indicate you need to get a new set of tires, and the ones mentioned above are usually the most relevant ones to remember. If you have noticed any of these details, then avoid driving the vehicle and contact an auto shop as soon as possible.
