We all know what tires are but do we really fully appreciate what they do, how important they are and how they can tell us about potential issues with our vehicle.
Let’s first talk about what tires do. Tires connect our vehicles to the road. Everything literally rides on our tires. The contact patch of the tire (roughly the six inches of tire that touch the road while we are driving) carry us safely to wherever we are going. Making sure your tires are properly maintained will enable you are able to safely drive your vehicle. Your tires will also play a part in the comfort and ride of your vehicle. Nice tall (fluffy) tires will provide a lot of cushion when driving on rough roads and give you a more comfortable ride. Short and squatty tires will give you better handling when cornering at higher speeds. The size and inflation of your tires are REALLY IMPORTANT too. In addition to increased fuel usage overinflation and underinflation can cause your tires to wear unevenly and prematurely. Wheels that are out of alignment can also cause uneven tire wear (edge wear) as well as wheels that are out of balance (patchy wear).
Most modern vehicles are equipped with TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) which will alert you to high/low pressure. The information for the TPMS is provided by sensors located on or in your tires or wheels. Sensors are battery operated. Batteries will start to lose their power when the sensors are about 7-10 years old. Aftermarket replacement sensors are available or you can also check the correct tire pressure for your vehicle by referencing the chart located on the driver’s side door jamb of the vehicle.
At Paul’s Autmotive we believe tires are so important for your safety we include a complimentary tire inspection with every service we do here. As always, if you have any questions we are happy to help. Give us a call or stop by the shop at your convenience.