With all the things that can go wrong with a car, tire rotations are relatively easy to neglect. The thing about them is that poor tire health will never cause an immediate disaster. The problems will build up slowly and subtly over time. One week you have a barely noticeable mark on your tires, the next week your tire pops.
Once you know what the small signs mean you can start to predict the big problems they might become. For that reason, RPM Automotive has seen fit to put together this guide to predicting problems with tire health. So, here are three signs that it is time for a tire rotation.
Uneven Wear on Your Tires
This one is subtle, but it is a great indicator of what is going on with your tires. The thing about this tip is that it is great for getting into the “car care” mentality. Most people do not invest much energy or attention into their cars because cars feel so chaotic. How are you supposed to keep track of everything that can go wrong?
Well, it will feel like a lot at first, but cars can only be in so many situations. This is never more obvious than when you look at your tires and see uneven wear on them. All of your tires are going through the same environments, all the time. They should look almost identical.
Even though there is a lot going on with cars, some things are consistent, such as wear and tear.
Frequent Tire Pressure Loss
This is a problem that can develop quickly, so it is best to pick up on it fast. Unrotated tires can put a lot of strain on one particular tire, making it wear down much faster than the others. This will manifest itself in that tire flattening quickly. You do not want your tire popping, so address this as soon as you can.
Vibration in Your Vehicle
There are a lot of things inside your car that can cause it to tremble and shake. Transmission issues, engine misfires, and so on and so forth. But when your tires are unstable, the trembling in your vehicle will feel quite different. Rather than just shaking all around, it will feel like your vehicle is almost waving side to side.
You Have Gone 10,000 Miles Without a Rotation
This “sign that you need a tire rotation” is less obvious than the others. Because if you have gone 10,000 miles without getting your tires rotated, it might not seem like you need a rotation at all. But that is because this is the most preemptive of all the ways you can identify an issue with your tires.
Oil needs to be changed every 5,000 miles, air filters need to be replaced every 15,000 miles, and tires need to be rotated every 10,000 miles. Fortunately, this means you do not have to be doing everything at once. Instead, you have a road map of what you need to be doing every 5000 miles.