How To Tell You Need A Car Tire Change: Stay Safe And Save With Timely Service

Whether you need a routine seasonal car tire change or a full-on replacement, your local TIRECRAFT is here to help—and thanks to our customer loyalty programs and car tire change promotions, we can save you money on your next service, too.

Read on to learn how to tell it’s time to book a car tire change service, or contact your local TIRECRAFT to start a free consultation right away.

When To Book A Car Tire Change: Keep Your Treads In-Season

Using the wrong tire for the season not only reduces driving performance and the effectiveness of safety features, but it also wears your treads down much faster. If you’re at a loss as to when to book a seasonal car tire change, pay attention to the following:

1. Temperature—You should book a car tire change as soon as temperatures fall to 7 degrees or lower, as this is the temperature at which snow tires’ special rubber compounds are designed to work. By the same token, for summer tire changeovers, you should swap out your snow tires when the temperatures rise above 7 degrees.
2. Date—Although the exact deadline varies depending on exactly where you live in Ontario, most drivers book their winter car tire change between late-October to mid-November, then switch to summer tires or all-seasons in late March or early April.
3. Driving performance—If you notice a drop-off in tire handling or performance, it’s probably time to book a car tire change.

When in doubt, ask your insurance provider or contact a local TIRECRAFT technician.

When To Book A Car Tire Replacement: Keep Your Treads In-Shape

Driving on damaged tires poses serious safety risks. Fortunately, tire damage is generally quite easy to spot.

If you notice any of the following signs of severe tire damage or wear, you should book a car tire change as soon as possible:

1. Your tires fail the Quarter Test. Grab a Canadian quarter and, with the Caribou facing you, stick it into the deepest part of your tread, nose-first. If the nose gets swallowed up by the tread, then your tires are probably still good for a while yet. But if the nose is still visible, it’s time to book a car tire change.
2. Your tire sidewalls are cracking. Just as we start to wrinkle in old age, tires tend to dry out and crack as they near retirement. But while wrinkles are nothing to worry about—just wisdom lines, as they say—cracks in the sidewall are much more serious, putting drivers at risk of tire blowouts. If you spot cracks in the sidewall, book yourself a car tire change ASAP.
3. Your tires are bulging. Cracked sidewalls aren’t the only early indicators of impending tire blowout. Like a tiny tire “hernia,” a bulge in your sidewall means there’s a weak spot in your tire, and the longer you wait to book a car tire change, the greater your risk of tire blowout.
4. Your tread wear bars are showing. Many new tires are made with tread wear indicator bars, which make noise while you drive to indicate that it’s time for a car tire change. You can also spot them with the naked eye—most just look like small rubber squares. But if you see what look like metal or polyester cords, this means your tread is completely worn off, and your treads are way past the point of being safe to use.
5. Your tires are more than 10 years old. Even the best tires won’t last forever. Many will last up to 10 years, but most experts agree that they should be changed much sooner. If you don’t have the receipt for your tires, you can find the manufacturer’s date on the sidewall, displayed as a four-digit code, where the first two digits indicate the week and the last two indicate the year. For example, if your sidewall reads 2910, it means your tire was manufactured on the 29th week of 2010, and it’s definitely time for a car tire change!

Get A Free Quote On A Car Tire Change Or Replacement: Call TIRECRAFT

For the past 30+ years, TIRECRAFT has been making car tire changes and replacements easy and affordable for drivers across Canada, and we can do the same for you.

Use the Find a TIRECRAFT tool on our website to start a personalized consultation, get a free quote, and save more on your next car tire change or replacement.

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