Your tires are some of the most important parts of your vehicle, yet they often get overlooked. There are many ways your tire and car tires tell you that they need attention. From pulling one direction or another to basic notification lights, don’t ignore your tires on the road.
Car Pulls to One Side
If you notice that when you’re driving your car automatically pulls to one side or the other without you turning the wheel, you likely need your tires looked at. This could mean you need a wheel alignment which should be addressed right away as an uneven alignment means uneven wear on your tires and difficulty making turns. This can be incredibly dangerous, especially if you need to react quickly while on the road.
Bad Fuel Mileage
If you’ve had your car for a while, chances are you know your car well enough to know when something’s wrong. If you start to notice that you’re putting the same amount of gas or charge in but getting fewer miles with each drive, it could mean you have an issue with your tires. Your tires directly affect your gas mileage, mainly through rolling resistance.
Slow to Accelerate
If you hit the gas like you usually would, but notice it feels slow or like you’re moving through the sand at first, you can get your tires checked. If the tires are the issue, it is a straightforward fix.
Feeling Unusual Vibrations
If your car starts to vibrate by any means, it’s time to get it looked at. Your tires could be the underlying cause of this vibration, meaning you may need a wheel alignment or that your tires need to be checked out.
Unusual Noises
Your tires could be the culprit of odd noises like squealing or grinding noises. If you start to hear these, you can try having someone listen to where they are coming from while you drive very slowly on a short path before having your tires checked out.
Slow to Stop
If you find yourself having to hit the brake harder and harder to come to a full stop, your tires can be the issue and you need brake service right away. This can be dangerous to you and others on the road.
Dashboard Notification Light
Probably the easiest way to tell that your tires are in need of a tune-up is the dashboard notification light. This light will also tell you when your tires have low air pressure. Although low air pressure is often a sign of a slow leak, keep in mind that tires often lose a certain amount of air when colder weather sets in and may simply need a little additional air. The dashboard light can help guide your next steps.
Keeping an eye on these items will help ensure your road safety and the integrity of your tires. Also, don’t forget to have your tires rotated after the recommended allotted amount of miles for your vehicle.
