How Often Do You Need to Get New Tires?
Whether they need serviced or replaced, keeping your tires in good condition is essential for a safe and smooth ride. With the warm summer months approaching, you might be planning your next road adventure. Driving long distances—or even short distances over time—on old, thinning tires can risk the safety of you and your passengers. If you are wondering how often you need to get new tires and what signs indicate that you need to replace them, Mazda of Orland Park has the answers.
How Often Do You Need to Get New Tires?
Generally speaking, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that drivers change the tires on their vehicles every six years. That’s only a general rule, though, because you may have additional wear and tear on your tires that warrant an earlier replacement. The time to replace your tires can depend on whether your driving style is more aggressive by braking and accelerating harshly or whether you frequently drive on poorly maintained roads.
Season changes are also a good time to consider replacing with season tires. Different types of tires work better for different weather conditions, so the approach of summer is a good time to get vehicle maintenance done to ensure your vehicle is in good shape for the next few months.
Dangers of Not Replacing Your Tires on Time
The biggest concern with not replacing your tires at the appropriate time is that you and your passengers will be much less safe out on the road. Worn down tires will increase braking intervals and reduce traction, which is especially dangerous in inclement weather or on certain roads. Tread wear will mean your vehicle will take longer to stop and may not be able to grip the road. Tire rotation can help with this problem, but replacing tires is going to be necessary in the long run. The possibility of flat tires can also be a safety risk, and it’s also a hassle, especially if you don’t have a spare tire.
How to Know When Your Tires Need to be Replaced
To ensure you and your passenger’s safety, it is important to check tires on your vehicle to know when to replace them. There are two easy ways to do so. First, check the age of your tires. If they are more than six years old, you should replace them no matter what. Second, you can determine their condition by measuring the tread depth with wear bars. Tire treads should be at least 1/16 inch for safety, but a higher tread depth is recommended. Anything below 1/16 inch means you need to replace your tires. You should also check your tire pressure to make sure none of them have an air leak, which can also be an indicator that they need to be replaced.
Schedule a Service Appointment With Mazda of Orland Park!
Mazda of Orland Park is not your typical dealer. We are now an employee-owned Mazda dealership staffed with long-term employees who will continue to give you the award-winning customer service you expect. We have a great selection of new and used vehicles, which can be purchased at our dealership or online. Mazda of Orland Park also has a great service department with monthly specials and professionally trained mechanics who are experts at servicing Mazda models. Schedule your tire service appointment today!
