Ask An Expert: How to Make Your Car Tires Last Longer?

As a vehicle owner, you know how expensive the upkeep of your car or truck can be. Those prices can add up, whether it involves regular maintenance or unexpected repairs. Tire replacement is one of the most significant expenses you’ll encounter during the life span of a vehicle, so it’s understandable if you want to extend the life of your car’s tires and delay the high cost of buying new ones.

Proper maintenance can ensure your vehicle’s tires last longer, saving you money and keeping you safer on the roads in Fairfield, Ohio. Read on below as our team at Performance Toyota looks at some of the most common reasons tires wear out and what you can do to make your vehicle’s tires last longer.

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What Causes Tires To Wear Out Quickly?

Toyota Tires via Toyota.com

It’s a fact that tires will eventually wear out simply because they’re the only part of the vehicle that remains in constant contact with the road. However, if your car’s tires are wearing out faster than expected or you notice the tread is different on one of the tires, you might have a more serious issue.

A few of the more common causes of reduced tire life include the following:

• Uneven wheel alignment: Perhaps one of the most common culprits of uneven tire wear involves wheel alignment. The wheels and tires take on different stress levels when the alignment is off.
• Bad brakes: If the brake calipers, rotors, or pads are damaged, the tire tread may wear unevenly.
• Tire rotation failure: Unless you rotate the tires regularly, they could suffer from uneven wear. A mechanic can remove all four tires and shuffle their placement to ensure all tire parts touch the road evenly.
• Power steering issues: If the power steering system has issues, it could lead to stress on the tires and uneven tread wear. You might be overcompensating with the wheel while driving, affecting the tires.
• Suspension system problems: A suspension system that’s weak or not properly calibrated can cause you to feel every vibration and bump on the road. Since the suspension system isn’t doing its job, the tires take the brunt of the pressure.

How Can You Make Tires Last Longer?

A quality set of tires can make almost any terrain feel smooth, ensuring you experience a safe and comfortable journey. While all tires eventually wear down, you can follow maintenance schedules and practice a few tips to make them last longer.

Check the Tire Pressure

Maintaining the tire pressure specified by the automaker is vital to the vehicle’s overall performance and one of the best ways to extend the life of your vehicle’s tires. If you don’t know what pound per square inch of pressure the tires should be, look at the information placard found on the driver’s side door jamb. Filling the tires up with too much air or having too little pressure can cause uneven tire wear. It’s best to check the numbers monthly. Keep in mind that colder temperatures can cause tire pressure to drop, while warmer temperatures can increase it.

Rotate the Tires

Scheduling a tire rotation is a small investment that can extend the life of your car’s tires. Failing to follow a proper tire rotation schedule can cause the tires to lose hundreds or thousands of miles. Tires wear out unevenly on most vehicles, especially those that rely on front- or rear-wheel drive. The owner’s manual can tell you how often you should rotate the tires but strive to complete this task every 5,000 miles. A good rule of thumb is when you schedule an oil change, you can also schedule a tire rotation.

Get the Wheels Balanced

When you have the tires rotated, include balancing the wheels. Every tire has a heavy spot in it, even if it’s a brand-new tire. These quarter-ounce or half-ounce measurements can cause uneven tire wear and unnecessary vibration. A mechanic can use a specialized tool and small weights to balance each tire.

Go Easy on the Pedals

You might not think your driving habits affect your tires, but they do. Fast turns and sudden stops and starts can adversely affect the tires and cause them to wear out quicker. Speeding also affects the tires because the rubber heats faster and breaks down quicker. Breaking the surface tension between the road and the tires creates tremendous friction, which eats away at the tread. Being a cautious driver can extend the life of the tires.

Look at the Alignment

If you notice your vehicle actively pulls or drifts to the right or left, it might have alignment issues. When you hit a curb or pothole, it can affect the vehicle’s alignment. The slightest misalignment can speed up the tread wear, so have your mechanic check the alignment and adjust it if necessary. These adjustments often involve just a fraction of an inch.

Watch Where You Park

If you look at a tire, its shoulders and side walls are substantially less durable than the tread area because the tread blocks don’t protect them. When you parallel park, you might scrape the sides of the tires along the curb. Or if you constantly bump into curbs when you park diagonally, that can damage the sidewalls. If this happens consistently, it can quickly shorten the life of the tires.

Examine the Tires

You don’t want to wait until it’s too late to notice tire damage. Every few weeks, visually inspect the tires to look for bulging pockets in the sidewall or any gouges, scrapes, nails, or screws. If you notice any issues with the tires, scheduling a tire service can prevent major damage from occurring later.

If you have any other questions about tire care or need new tires, don’t hesitate to reach out to the experts in the service center at Performance Toyota. We provide many services, including tire repair and vehicle alignments, and offer tires at competitive prices, so give us a call at (513) 874-5535 today to schedule an appointment.