If you’re driving along and you have a blowout then, yes, you have tire trouble. Other signs of concern are subtler. Urb’s Garage knows tires and offers additional tips to spot the signs of tire trouble before they become a blowout. You don’t want to lose control of your vehicle.
Visual Concerns
It’s a good idea to look at your tires once a week to see if you can spot any visual irregularities. A good time to do this is when you wash your car, truck or SUV. There shouldn’t be any cracks or cuts on the sides of the tires, nor should there be blisters or bulges. If you notice one tire has less tread than the others do, this is cause for concern, as is no tread. Bald tires are dangerous. Don’t drive on them.
Consistent Air Loss
You should check the air pressure in your tires every other time you fill up your vehicle. It’s not uncommon to have to add a little air to each tire each time you check the pressure, but if you have to add a lot, or if you have one tire that is consistently low, there is something else going on. Your tire might have a leak or the wheel might have a leak. Either way, your tires should not lose air consistently.
Vibration While Driving
You shouldn’t feel vibration while you drive. If you do, this is a sign of uneven tire wear, unbalanced tires, alignment issues or wheel trouble. Other causes of vibration while driving include your brakes, suspension and transmission. If your vehicle vibrates more than usual, have it inspected to determine the cause. It could something as simple as out-of-balanced wheels or difficult as your transmission.
Loud Noise
No set of tires will prevent road noise completely, but if you notice your tires sound louder and louder each day on the same roads, the tread is wearing down too low. You don’t want to allow your tread to wear down past the safety point. This creates dangerous conditions on wet roads and also increases the risk of blowing out a tire while your vehicle is in motion. Loud or strange noises should be investigated.
If you feel something isn’t quite right with your tires, stop by Urb’s Garage for a quick tire inspection. We’re located in Burlington, KY. We can repair or replace your tires so you stay safe on the road.