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ARE MY TIRES TOO WORN?

THE PENNY TEST AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.

If you are wondering if your tires are worn but don’t know how to check them yourself, the easiest way is to perform the penny test. The tread on your tires should be more than 2/32 of an inch deep. To check, insert a U.S. penny into the tread of your tires with Lincoln’s head facing down. If the top of Lincoln’s head is covered by tread, there is at least a minimum acceptable amount of tread. If the top of his head is visible at any point, your tires are worn out and need to be replaced.

However, even before the tread is worn, tires should be regularly inspected for cuts, cracks, splits, punctures, bulges and uneven wear patterns. Uneven tread wear can include more wear on one tread edge than the other, a rippled pattern of high and low wear or even exposed steel wire within the tire. These are serious conditions that need to be checked by a tire professional, who can help you to determine if a new tire is needed.

Be sure to check the age of your tires too. Cooper recommends that all tires, including full-size spares, that are 10 or more years from their date of manufacture, be replaced with new tires. In some cases, a vehicle manufacturer may have a recommendation for tire replacement earlier than 10 years. If so, you should follow those vehicle manufacturer's recommendations for their vehicle.

 Tire Pressure Monitoring System Can Saves Lives

Most people ignore their tires, yet tires are undoubtedly a critical safety component on a vehicle. Where the rubber meets the road affects traction, handling, steering, stability and braking. Because of this, a sudden tire failure can have serious consequences, especially if it occurs when operating at high speeds.

Nearly 250,000 accidents occur in the United States per year due to low tire pressure.About 75% of roadside flats are preceded by a slow leak or under inflation.According to a recent survey, America could reduce its fuel consumption by 10% and save a collective $2 billion a year by keeping tires properly inflated.NHTSA estimates that tire pressure monitoring systems could prevent as many as 79 deaths and 10,365 injuries each year in the United States.

What is the effect of under inflation?

An estimated 23,000 accidents and 535 fatal accidents annually involve blowouts or flat tires. Maintaining proper tire air pressure is not only a major safety concern but can also affect the handling and performance of your vehicle.

Why is it more expensive and time consuming to have tires serviced rather than rotated?

Technicians use special diagnostic tools to test and recalibrate sensors any time a tire is moved from one location on the vehicle to another. A sensor must be tested to make sure it is functioning correctly and also must be reprogrammed whenever tires are moved from one position to another during rotation. OEMs recommend a sensor service kit be installed every time a tire is serviced. These kits include replacement parts to properly service the sensor. Sensors are powered by a battery that usually has a life of 6 to 8 years. The sensor has to be replaced when the battery fails because the batteries are not replaceable.