Taking care of your vehicle’s tires is one of the most important tasks you can do when it comes to keeping the car safe. Although modern vehicles are equipped with a number of innovative safety features, the tires are still essential to overall safety. After all, they’re the only part of the car that connects to the road on which you’re driving. Follow a few helpful tips to keep your tires in tip-top shape.
- Rotate Them Regularly
The best way to make sure your tires wear evenly is to have them rotated frequently. Tire rotation is recommended every 6,000-8,000 miles you drive and can help extend the life of the tires substantially. During the process, the tires will be removed from the car and replaced in other positions.
- Check the Pressure
Various factors can impact your tire pressure, leading to slow deflation that can create issues. Tires can lose up to a pound per square inch of air every month, and that number goes up when temperatures fluctuate or your driving habits increase. If you’re only checking the pressure when something is wrong, you could end up with significant tire damage. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the leading cause of tire-related crashes is tires that aren’t properly inflated.
Proper tire inflation can also extend the life of the tire by nearly 5,000 miles, according to a report from the NHTSA. Check the owner’s manual of your vehicle or the placard placed on the inside of the frame on the driver’s side to locate the proper pressure for your tires and make sure they’re always inflated within the designated range.
- Physically Check the Tires
When you’re fueling up, take a walk around your vehicle and visually inspect the condition of the tires. Look for problems like bulges and cracks, as well as objects that may have punctured the rubber, such as stones, nails, glass, or screws. If the object is in the tire’s sidewall, it will need to be replaced. If it’s located elsewhere in the tire, you may be able to salvage it with a patch job. Smooth, worn patches are also cause for concern, as they can indicate that your tire is nearly bald and no longer able to grip the road.
- Avoid Overloading the Car
Weighing down your vehicle with a heavy load can also put extra pressure on your tires, increasing the risk of experiencing a blowout. Before you load up the cabin or trunk with too much stuff, check the owner’s manual to find out how much weight your car can safely handle. In addition to putting pressure on your tires, overloading a vehicle can impact the way it handles and cause damage to other components.
By following these tips, you can prolong the lifespan of your tires and make sure your car is safe to drive. If you need to schedule a tire service or other service on your Mazda, visit Rochester Mazda for a professional service performed by experienced technicians.
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