Four Ways to Tire Safety

Posted by Csavage Published in Car How To's, Jupiter Chevrolet News, Safety

Tire safety should be a part of regular maintenance. If you notice that your tires are worn or you feel a shake or wobble in your steering wheel, DO NOT ignore it. Seemingly minor problems could cause a fatal accident.

The first thing you can do to ensure tire safety is to check your tire pressure once a month. Most tires naturally lose air over time. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to determine under-inflation just by looking at your tires.

Keep a tire pressure gauge in your vehicle so you can check your tires often. This will improve vehicle handling, protecting you from breakdowns or accidents. It will also increase the life of your tires.

As gas prices inch closer and closer to $4.00 per gallon, keeping proper tire pressure will improve fuel economy. Some studies show you can save up to $200 at the pump each year just by taking good care of your tires.

Three other ways to take good care of your tires include:

1) Tread- Visually check your tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low spots or unusually smooth areas. Also check for signs of damage.

2) Alignment- A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw your vehicle’s front end out of alignment and lead to tire damage. Have your vehicle checked periodically to ensure proper alignment.

3) Rotation- Regularly rotating your vehicle’s tires will help achieve more uniform wear. Unless your vehicle’s owners manual has a specific recommendation, the guideline for tire rotation is every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.

Tire safety is important, so if you’re not confident checking your tires, Jupiter Chevrolet can easily check for proper alignment and tire rotation. And we’ll show you how to check pressure and inspect your tires every month.