5 Telltale Signs Your Car Tires Need to Be Replaced ASAP – Jalopnik

Tires don’t last forever. You will have to replace them at some point. The problem is that your tires pose a serious safety risk once they wear out. A blowout can cause a serious accident (here you can read how to survive a blowout). The goal is to replace them before they reach that point. So how do you know if your tires are ready to be shipped to where worn tires go (we’re assuming it’s a farm upstate where a nice older couple will care for them and they have plenty of room to roll around in a field)?

There are several signs that your tires are nearing the end of their life, and a visual inspection can tell you a lot about the shape they are in. The depth of the tread is a good indicator of whether they are still safe to use. The last thing you want is to drive on a wet road with bald tires. Worn tires can also have cracks, bulges and bubbles. Some of the more serious cases are where the steel belt is visible. These are all signs that your tires need to be replaced.

But those are visible signs, and there may also be non-visible clues that it’s time to get rid of your tires. Does your steering wheel vibrate when you drive down the road? Do you hear a banging sound? Does it take longer to come to a complete stop than it used to? These could all be signs that your tires need replacing. Or maybe your tires are outdated. In many cases, if they are older than 6 years, it is time to look for new tires.

So, how do you know if the profile is too low? The most common test is the good old “penny test,” which may become more difficult in coming years as the penny is no longer minted. Anyway, your first step is to find an old person who still uses coins, and ask to borrow a penny. You may have to put up with stories about how a penny could buy them and twelve of their friends movie tickets, popcorn, and a bottle of soda. Just nod your head and take the penny. Now turn the penny upside down and place it between the treads of your tires. If you can see Lincoln’s hair on his head, your tread is worn out and you need to replace your tire. Depending on your state, it may even be illegal to drive your car with such a low profile.

Ideally, you should replace your tires before they reach this point. Many experts recommend using the “quarter test” instead, with George’s head instead of Abe’s. The problem is you have to go to the same old person who lent you the penny. Wait until you hear what a quarter used to buy.

If the cracks are large enough to fit the tip of a pen, or if pieces of rubber begin to come loose, the situation is very serious and it is not safe to drive your car until the tire is replaced. If you drive with a tire that has wood rot and cracks, it could fail. This, in turn, can cause you to lose control of your vehicle while driving. So have the tire replaced immediately if you notice that it is cracked.

Do you see a bump or bump on the outside of your tire? Yeah, that shouldn’t be there. But we assume you already knew that. That bulge means that one steel belt has separated from the other, and if you continue to ride on that tire, you will likely have a blowout. So have that tire replaced as soon as possible. Here’s the tricky part, though. Your tire may break even if there is no visible damage. Therefore, you should check the pressure regularly. If the tire is consistently low or does not hold air for very long, it is a slow leak and it is time to replace the tire.

The other fun experience you can have is hearing “thump, thump, thump” and feeling a hard bounce. This is a clear sign that at least one tire needs to be replaced as soon as possible. What is likely happening is that a steel belt will start to loosen and cause a bulge. Sometimes steel belts can even be visible. If you continue to ride on that tire, it may completely disintegrate while driving. As you can see, vibration or impact should be treated as serious safety issues that need to be resolved quickly. Tires can be expensive, but the danger just isn’t worth getting a few more miles out of those tires.

Remember that the tread of your tires ensures that they grip the road surface. It cannot be emphasized enough how important tire tread is to the control of your vehicle. In fact, a test was conducted by DEKRA found that tires with tread wear down to 2-3mm took 16-18% longer to come to a complete stop on wet roads and 2.4-8.5% on dry roads. It’s not just about quitting either. Worn tires can make your car much less responsive on wet or icy roads, just when your car needs it most. And the more worn your tires are, the greater the chance of hydroplaning, which is extremely scary to think about.

In addition to longer braking distances, there are other signs that your tires may be worn out. For example, do you notice that your car skids more easily? This is a clear sign of tire wear and an increased risk of your car losing control in a sharp bend. Do your tires spin when you drive away? That’s another sign that it’s time to buy new tires. Continuing to drive on these tires when you see these signs is a dangerous undertaking. In Germany, according to DEKRA, 38% of all accidents in which a technical fault in the car appears to be the cause are caused by worn tires.

So how can you tell how old your tires are? Locate the DOT number on the sidewall, near the bead. It should be four numbers after the letters ‘DOT’. The last two digits represent the year and the first two digits represent the week within that year. So a DOT number of 3420 would refer to the 34th week of 2020.

But age doesn’t tell the whole story of a band’s life. Mileage has a lot to do with whether it needs to be replaced. Most all-season tires are built to last approximately 50,000 to 60,000 miles. Again, your tires will likely be worn out after traveling this distance, regardless of what the tread looks like. The reason for this is that rubber becomes fatigued over time due to heat build-up. This causes the tire to become deformed and more vulnerable to a blowout. So check what the manufacturer recommends, but otherwise replace your tires after six years or 56,000 miles, whichever comes first. Don’t tempt fate by driving on bald or worn tires. Know the signs of wear and tear and have them replaced when necessary for everyone’s safety.