Everything you wanted to know about your TIRES but were afraid to ask. . .
All drivers want peak performance from their tires, as they are
an additional costly investment to the vehicle. Just as you have
your oil changed with frequency, so should you have your tires checked
to help reduce accidents, save gasoline, and keep your tires going
longer.
How can I tell if my car needs new tires?
While there are certainly a number of visual cues when determing
if your tires are in proper operating condition (don't forget
your spare!), as part of a complete maintenance inspection,
you should be able to have the below tire safety items checked by
a certified technician. Before replacing your tires, be sure to
consult with your owner's manual and follow the vehicle's manufacturer
recommendations, as vehicle handling may be affected by a change
in tire size or type.
In addition, did you know that tire age is an important factor
in tire safety? When it comes to determining the age of a tire,
it is easy to identify when a tire was manufactured by reading its
Tire Identification Code (serial number). Unlike vehicle identification
numbers (VINs) and the serial numbers used on many other consumer
goods (which identify a specific item), the Tire Identification
Codes are really batch codes that identify which week and year the
tire was produced.
- Tire Codes After 2000: The week and year the tire was
manufactured is contained in the last four digits of the series,
with 2 digits used to identify the week a tire was manufactured
immediately preceding digits identifying the year. Example:
XXXXXXXX 0600 (06, manufactured during the 6th week of
the year; 00 is the year it was manufactured)
- Tire Codes Prior to 2000: the Tire Identification Code
for tires was based on the assumption that no tire would be in
service for 10 years. They were required to provide the same information,
but the last three digits identified the week followed by the
year of the decade. Example:
XXXXXXXX 068 (06, manufactured during the 6th week of the
year; 8 is the 8th year of the decade in which it was manufactured)
(Source: www.tirerack.com)
What can Precision Tune Auto Care do to help keep your
tires going?
- Tire Pressure: Under or over-inflation can result in
irregular wear, loss of control and accidents. A tire can lose
up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat! Please
have your tire pressure checked with every oil change. (Recommended
air pressure is posted on the driver's door or in the glove compartment.)
- Tire Alignment: If your vehicle is pulling to one side
or shaking, it may be out of alignment and causing damage to your
tires. Have your vehicle checked for proper alignment periodically,
especially if you notice driving irregularities.
- Tire Rotation: Regular rotation of tires promotes more
even wear, which in turn prolongs tire life. The general guideline
for tire rotation is every other oil change (or every 6,000 to
7,500 miles), unless otherwise directed by your vehicle or tire
manufacturer.
- Tire Tread: While the penny test can do the trick if
you're in a pinch (legal tread depth is 2/32 of an inch - the
exact distance from the tip of Abe's head to the rim of a penny),
you may feel more comfortable having your certified technician
measure this during an inspection. Note that in many states, it
is illegal to drive on tires that below safe tread depth.
All of the parts we install are guaranteed to meet or exceed manufacturer
standards, and if you wish, we'll return all of your old parts to
you.
This service, like all services performed at Precision Tune Auto
Care, is advised based on your manufacturer's recommendations, or
as needed as determined by our inspection and based on industry
standards. Selling and servicing of tires is offered at participating
Precision Tune Auto Care locations, please see FIND A CENTER
for your neighborhood location.
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12 month/12,000 mile warranty on all our services is good
at any of our centers coast to coast |
