PRECISION TUNE AUTO CARE
Tires & Alignments

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, you should also have your tires checked to help reduce accidents, save gasoline and keep your tires going longer.

How can I tell if my vehicle needs new tires?

While there are certainly a number of visual cues when determining if your tires are in proper operating condition (don't forget your spare!), as part of a complete maintenance inspection, you should 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 followed by digits identifying the year. Example: XXXXXXXX 0607 (06, manufactured during the 6th week of the year; 07 is the year it was manufactured).

• Tire Codes Prior to 2000: Tire Identification Codes were 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).

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 are below safe tread depth.