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When it comes to the stability and safety of your car, the tires are where the rubber meets the road. Failing to properly upkeep your tires and replace worn-out tires can lead to a risk of skids or blowouts. Wear and tear is also accelerated with poorly maintained tires, meaning you'll need to buy new tires more often. Along with regular tire inspections and rotations at your local Kia dealership, always watch out for the following signs of tire trouble. more Diminishing Tread Depths Friction with the road steadily wears down the treads of all tires. But tires need deep tread lugs and voids to grip the road, especially on wet surfaces when the voids allow for the displacement of water. With this in mind, it's important to frequently check the depths of your tire treads. If they ever fall to 2/32 of an inch or less, it's time for replacements. Reduced Traction Strength As the primary function of tires is to maintain secure traction on various road surfaces, if you ever sense a sudden loss of traction, pay attention; your tires might have a fault. If you start losing confidence in the gripping strength of your tires, ask a technician to inspect them and resolve the problem. Cuts, Bulges, and Other Damage Any obvious damage to the outer rubber of tires may mean the tire has to be replaced. Tiny cracks in the side walls and small repairable cuts in the treads might be okay, but any large cracks, gashes, bulges, or blisters often mean the tires have reached the end of the road. Unevenly Worn Tires Tires that wear down unevenly become hazardous to drive on. Uneven tire wear can reduce vehicle handling and increase the chance of skids and tire failure. While regular rotations even out tire wear to some degree, sometimes tires become so uneven in size that the whole set has to go. Excessive Road Vibrations When tires become damaged or overly uneven, you may begin to feel excessive vibrations while on the road. It's wise to pay close attention to how your car feels and sounds at all times and respond quickly to any significant changes. Continually Falling Tire Pressure If one or more of your tires are continually losing air pressure, it might have a hidden puncture or embedded object that you haven't yet noticed. Alternatively, a fault with the valve stem or wheel rim might be causing the air loss. It's best to have a technician take a look. Visit Bergstrom Appleton Kia in Appleton, WI, today to have an experienced technician inspect and repair or replace your tires. We're a local full-service dealership offering an excellent range of new and used cars with courteous staff who are committed to providing a top-notch customer experience.

Car batteries tend to degrade over time due to age-related wear and environmental factors like extreme weather. Once your battery degrades, you can start to experience problems with your car. Watch out for these signs below and get a new car battery from your Kia dealer immediately. 1. Your Kia Struggles to Start If your Kia is cranking slower than usual, your battery could be struggling to activate the starter motor. When you start your Kia, the starter relies on the battery to supply a burst of power to crank the engine. If the battery is weak and its charge capacity has dropped significantly, it won't provide enough amps to the starter for ignition. The engine will crank slowly while producing clicking or whirring sounds. more 2. Battery Looks Corroded As your car's battery ages, internal components start to fail, causing acid leaks from the casing. The leaking battery acid reacts with the surrounding metal connectors to produce corrosion, which appears as a white, blue, or green rusty buildup. Corrosion interferes with the electrical connection between cables and terminals, reducing current flow to the charging systems. 3. Battery Is Swollen or Cracked Pay attention to the physical appearance of your Kia's battery during routine checks under the hood. Does the battery case look swollen or have cracks? This is a sign of wear and tear or internal issues. 4. Electronics are Malfunctioning Your Kia's electronics rely on the battery to produce enough charge to keep them powered on. If the battery is failing, you will start to notice various malfunctions in your systems. These include: Flickering or dimming headlights Dimming dash lights and indicator lights Malfunctioning power windows Erratic radio performance Once your systems start to behave abnormally, it's only a matter of time before you need to replace the vehicle's battery. Replace it immediately to restore smooth operation of all electronics. 5. You Jump-Start the Kia Often Are you forced to jump-start your car often because the battery keeps failing? This is a warning sign of a battery that can no longer hold charge when the car sits overnight or for long periods. Even though the alternator is recharging the battery to full capacity, it will drain fast due to age and internal degradation. 6. Your Battery Is Too Old Car batteries last around four to five years before needing a replacement. If your battery is nearing the four-year mark and you start to notice signs of trouble, replace it immediately. If you wait too long, the battery may die unexpectedly, leaving you stuck on the road with no help. Get a New Car Battery from Your Kia Dealer in Appleton, WI Watch out for these signs of battery trouble to avoid an unexpected breakdown. Contact Bergstrom Kia Appleton in Appleton, WI to order a new battery for your Kia.