Air Pressure Gauge

One check; many benefits. Check your tires regularly for tread wear and inflation. It just takes a few minutes. Use a tire gauge and make sure that your tires are up to the manufacturer'srecommended standards. Having the proper tire pressure will maximize gas mileage. It also saves on the wear-and-tear on your tires, increases your safety, and even helps protect the environment!

Extra Loads; baggage, towing a trailer

Make sure you check your vehicle's tire placard before you load up your vehicle. Your tire placard will show the maximum load limit. Remember that baggage carried on top of your vehicle counts towards the additional load...and if you're towing a trailer some of the weight of the trailer will be transferred to the towing vehicle. That also reduces the load that you can safely place in your vehicle.

Visual Inspections

Visually inspect your tires monthly. Is there anything visibly wrong like cuts or bulges in the side walls? Is the tread worn down to the tread wear indicator? Have they sustained any damage?

Tire Rotation

Have your tires rotated every 10,000 kilometers. The purpose of tire rotation is to achieve a more uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. If your tires show uneven or irregular wear, visit your local tire dealer who can check for and correct any misalignment, imbalance, or other mechanical problems.

Alignment

A vehicle is said to be properly aligned when all suspension and steering components are sound and when the tire and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Proper alignment is necessary for even tread wear and precise steering. Uneven front-or rear-tire wear, or changes in your vehicle's handling or steering response - like pulling to one side - can indicate misalignment. Your vehicle may need a "front-end" alignment or a "four-wheel" alignment, depending on the symptoms you are experiencing. Having your vehicle aligned can more than pay for itself in tire mileage, performance and comfort.

Pulling to one side

Is your vehicle pulling to one side, or shaking? A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw your front end out of alignment and damage your tires. An unbalanced wheel and tire assembly can create an annoying vibration when you drive on a smooth road and it may result in irregular tread wear. If you have any questions, speak with local tire dealer.

Wheel Balancing

No matter what type of vehicle you drive, the wheels need to be balanced. If they are out of balance, you may feel a pounding or shaking through the steering wheel or your seat. This type of vibration can reduce the life of suspension components, lead to uneven tire wear (bald spots) and increase fuel consumption.

How can I know if my tires are worn out?

All tires have tread wear indicators, which are small bars of rubber found between the tread blocks of a tire. When the tread is worn flush with the tread wear indicators, the tire has reached its wear limit and must be replaced.

When tread on tires wears down to the tread wear indicators, the tire no longer provides sufficient traction in the rain or snow. For safety reasons, it is therefore recommended that a tire be changed when its tread reaches a depth of 1.6 mm or 2/32").

Winter Tires

It’s unlikely that your all-season tires are adequate for winter driving in most parts of Canada. All-season tires provide modest traction on snow and ice when they are new, with grip diminishing as the tires age. The rubber compound of an all-season tire hardens as the temperature drops, providing poorer grip, even on dry surfaces. The compound of a winter tire is more pliable and retains its grip in cold temperatures.

Tires marked with the pictograph of a peaked mountain with a snowflake meet specific snow traction performance requirements, and have been designed specifically for use in severe snow conditions. If you intend driving in severe winter conditions, install four winter tires that meet the "snow tire" designation on your vehicle. These snow tires will assist you to control your vehicle safely in slippery conditions.

Currently, Quebec is the only province in Canada with legislation in place that makes it mandatory for drivers to use winter tires, but other provinces may soon follow the lead.

Vehicle handling will be improved when tires of the same type, size, speed rating and load index are installed on all four wheels. View a new demonstration video showcasing the benefits of using four winter tires of the same type, size, speed rating and load index by visiting visit http://www.betiresmart.ca/video/rac.html.

You can view videos of winter tire performance tests by clicking the following links:

Video 1: All season tires vs. winter tires
Video 2: Mixed tires (2 all season & 2 winter) vs. matched tires (4 winter tires)