New tires can be expensive, so it’s in every driver’s best interest to ensure their vehicle’s rubber stays on the wheel for as long as possible. Below, we’ll offer some simple tips to make your car’s tires last longer.
Maintain Correct Air Pressure
The first and most important part of preserving your vehicle’s tires is ensuring they have the correct air pressure. Every vehicle has a recommended psi range for its tires to balance the weight between the four wheels comfortably.
Many modern cars have tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that notify drivers any time a tire’s pressure falls out of this range, so if you see an alert on your dashboard, get your tires checked immediately. If you don’t have a TPMS, you’ll have to check and correct your tire pressure manually. If the tires fall out of their recommended psi range, their tread can wear down unevenly, increasing the risk of a blowout.
Pro Tip
You can find your vehicle’s recommended psi range for each tire in the owner’s manual or printed inside the driver-side doorjamb.
Rotate Tires Regularly
Another crucial aspect of tire maintenance is routine tire rotations. Most cars only have front or rear-wheel drive, meaning only two tires apply force to the road while the other two guide the vehicle.
Naturally, this extra force produces more wear and tear on the tires, so if tires aren’t rotated to different positions, certain tires will wear down quicker than others and cause an imbalance. Keep the tread on your tires and your vehicle balanced by rotating your tires every 5,000 miles or the recommended mileage listed in the car’s owner’s manual.
Check Wheel Alignment
Another significant problem for many tires is uneven tread wear caused by misaligned wheels. It’s surprisingly easy for tires to get slightly misaligned from a large pothole or bump into a curb, and it can cause the tires to point inward (toed-in) or outward (toed-out).
Even the slightest misalignment of the wheels can cause the tires to deteriorate much faster and unevenly, increasing the chances of a blowout. If you ever feel your car pulling in one direction or the steering wheel feels off, check the alignment of your wheels.
Drive Conservatively
Lastly, drive more conservatively and cautiously if you want to make your car’s tires last longer. Accelerating and braking too rapidly—peeling out and skidding to a stop—are obviously tough on your tires and will significantly shorten their lifespan.
Potholes and gravel roads also take their toll on the tread of tires, so avoid them as much as possible. Take it easy while driving, and you’ll get rewarded with long-lasting tires.
