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.
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.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.