Ask Joe Mechanic: Tires

This week we will discuss tires. A good policy that I follow is every time I am filling my gas tank; I do a walk around my car and among the things that I look at are all my tires. I do this to see any apparent problems like a tire noticeably low on air or a damaged tire or wheel.

A good policy to follow as far as tire preventive maintenance is every 1000 miles do a more thorough check of the tires and wheels. For the average driver, this means about once a month, and if you drive much more than the average, you really need to check them more often. Check your tire pressures first of all. You should always inflate your tires to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations for your type of usage. Most vehicles have a label either on the driver’s door or door jamb, if not, the information is in the owners manual.

Do not just go by the maximum pressure marked on the tire sidewall, as this may not be suitable for your vehicle. A tire that is a few pounds low on air pressure can cost you 2 to 3 mpg, and at $3.50 per gallon, nobody wants to waste gasoline. When you are checking your air pressure, look for signs of abnormal tire wear. A tire that is worn on just the inside or outside edge is usually a sign of an alignment problem.

If the tires are worn on both the inside and outside edges, this is usually a sign they have been run underinflated. If the

center of the tire is worn down with good tread on the edges, this is a sign of either the tires being overinflated or having tires that are too wide for the wheels on the vehicle. This is something seen most commonly on 4x4s. Another sign of a problem is a bent rim.  Examine the rim and the sidewall of the tire because damage from hitting a curb or a pothole can cause alignment problems in addition to a tire belt separation.

A belt separation can be noticed by an area of the tread, which is worn down much more than the surrounding area or a bulge in the sidewall of the tire. Another sign of this type of a problem can be a shaking through the steering wheel, although this can also indicate a wheel balance problem.  One thing many people do not think about is the age of their tires. Most people think that if their tires have good tread, they are perfectly safe, unfortunately, that is a dangerous myth.

Someone who drives only a few thousand miles a year can actually have tires more dangerous than someone’s whose are almost worn out. Tires can develop age cracks either in the tread or the sidewall, and these tires can blow out, especially during times of very hot weather, heavy loading, or if you strike a road hazard.  Most newer tires are date coded, but a good visual inspection is usually enough to know you are safe.

As far as tread depth, the old adage is to take a penny, stick the top of “Abe’s” head into the tread groove, and if you do not see the top of his head, your tires are of safe tread depth. Tire safety is a place where using a little common sense can make your car much safer.

Recent recalls:

193,936 Vehicles

2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara &

2007-2011 Suzuki SX4
For a defective passenger seat air bag sensor which if it fails could deploy the air bags.

861 Indian Motorcycles models

2009 Deluxe & Standard

2009-2011 Roadmaster

2009-2013 Vintage

2010-2013 Classic & Darkhorse

2010 Bomber &

2011 Blackhawk & Blackhawk Dark

Rear wheel may crack and cause sudden lose of air pressure and could result in a crash.

13,709 Polaris Victory Motorcycles

models 2010-2013 Victory Crossroads.

Cross Country, Cross Country Tour &

Hardball

With combination Lock & Ride accessory backrest with luggage rack, backrest can fail.

89,527 Child safety seats,

certain Safety 1st Complete,

Safety First Alpha Omega Elite, & Eddie

Bauer 3-in-1 Convertible seats

Have improperly labeled and vague mounting instructions.

If you think you are affected by any of these recalls, contact your dealer or the manufacturer for further instructions.