Tire Rotation: When Should You Schedule Service?

Between work, family responsibilities, and daily errands, finding the time for car maintenance can be tricky. As with most things in life, the ‘squeaky wheel’ gets priority. If my car isn’t actively causing problems, I can sometimes forget to schedule routine maintenance. However, putting off required automotive services isn’t a wise long-term decision. When it comes to vehicle stability, a tire rotation service can even out tread wear and extend your tire life.

Identify Warning Signs

Car ownership involves quite a lot of common sense awareness and the ability to follow the auto manufacturer’s maintenance suggestions. If you are on the fence about whether your vehicle needs a tire rotation service, this quick list of warning signs may help.

Noisy Tires

Tires should rotate smoothly and make little noise when traveling over a smooth road surface. If you hear unusual thumping, whirring, or other noises while driving, you need a professional tire inspection. Excessive or uneven tire tread wear, foreign objects embedded in your tire, or a damaged rim can all create noisy tires.

Poor Ride Comfort

Tire problems can often result in poor ride comfort. Even when the road is flat, it can feel like you’re driving over a bumpy, rough road. Uneven tire tread and unbalanced wheels are common causes. Your technician may also recommend a wheel alignment service to correct this problem.

Uneven Tire Tread Wear

Your vehicle’s tire tread wear can tell a lot about what is going on with your tires, your vehicle’s suspension, and even your driving style. Uneven tire tread wear can happen in several different ways. 

• Bald Spots or Patchy Wear: The tire tread is worn unevenly in small areas. Common culprits are misaligned wheels, overdue tire rotation, or worn suspension components.
• Center Wear: The center tire tread is worn smooth or notably lower than the rest of the tire. When the tires are overinflated, the center of the tread makes more contact with the road, thus increasing the wear down the center. 

• Cupping: Diagonal or scalloped tread wear creates uneven patterns across the tire tread. Causes include issues in the suspension system (shocks, struts, springs, etc.) or misalignment. 

• Edge Wear:  The edges of the tire tread near the sidewalls (inner, outer, or both) wear more quickly than the center. When the tires are under-inflated, the sides of the tire tread make more contact with the road, wearing the tread more quickly. Or your car is overdue a tire rotation or needs a wheel alignment. T

• Exposed Belting: The underlying steel fibers, wires, or ‘belts’ of the tire’s anatomy show through the tread or sidewall. Tire damage due to road debris, potholes, etc., improper tire maintenance, or excess tire age can expose tire belting. This type of damage requires immediate tire replacement.

Vehicle Pulling or Veering

You may need a tire rotation if you are constantly readjusting the steering wheel while driving in a straight line. Other reasons (like misalignment, unbalanced wheels, or suspension issues) may also be involved, so you should schedule a tire service as soon as possible.

Tire Rotation Benefits 

Scheduling routine tire rotation services has many benefits. Tires affect your vehicle’s handling, ride comfort, and overall stability. Proper tire maintenance is vital to protecting your safety and the safety of others.

Improved Ride Comfort

When your service technician routinely rotates your tires, they can fully inspect the integrity of each tire and the wheel it’s mounted to. Even tire tread wear, properly balanced wheels and correct air pressure provide a safe and comfortable ride.

Longer Tire Life

Tires on the front and rear operate at different weight loads and perform different steering and braking functions, resulting in dissimilar tread wear. You must rotate your vehicle’s tires to extend lifespan and enhance performance.

Include The Spare Tire

If you have a full-sized spare tire, make sure to include it in the tire rotation pattern. This way, one tire always rests while the other four are in use. With each tire rotation service, a different tire will become the ‘spare,’ extending the tire life of all the tires equally.

Increased Vehicle Stability

Your vehicle’s stability increases when all its tires have equal tread, are inflated to the correct amount, and are pointed in the proper directions. A stable auto is a safe one.

Extend Tire Life – Helpful Tips

• To help keep your tires in great shape and avoid unnecessary tire replacement costs, follow these helpful tips:
• Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, which is found in your owner’s manual and on the driver’s side door jamb sticker. 
• Schedule routine tire maintenance services as suggested by the manufacturer.
• During the summer, keep your tires cool and park in the shade or out of direct sunlight during the day whenever possible.
• Clean your tires each time you wash your car. Removing road grime and oils, plus adding a tire conditioning agent, can protect your tires from UV rays and environmental pollutants.

Tire Rotation Service in San Diego, CA

Wentworth Automotive‘s experienced service technicians have worked on domestic and import vehicles of all makes and models. We can diagnose your tread wear issues, perform tire rotation, and discuss ways to extend your tire life for increased vehicle stability.

Make Your Tire Rotation Reservation

Call us at (858) 541-1044 or online to schedule a tire rotation reservation. Wentworth Automotive offers honest tire inspections and quick tire rotation services in the Kearny Mesa community.