April 20

How Often Should You Get a Tire Rotation?

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You have replaced your air filter and finished your oil change, but is it time to rotate your vehicle’s tires as well? If you’re performing maintenance on your Chevrolet, you may wonder how often you should rotate your vehicle’s tires. 

Most auto manufacturers recommend getting your tires rotated every six months or 5,000 to 7,500 miles. However, you may need to rotate your tires more often depending on what kind of drivetrain you have and how you use your vehicle. Do you have questions? Contact us, and we will be happy to help you with all your car maintenance needs. 

Why Is Tire Rotation Important?

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While tire rotation may be an optional service, car manufacturers recommend including it in your maintenance plan. Rotating your vehicle’s tires periodically promotes more even wear, increasing their lifespan. Switching the position of your tires also helps ensure you have proper traction and decreases the stress on your engine as you drive around Plano, Texas. 

How Many Miles To Rotate Tires?

If you drive a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicle, you can rotate your tires every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. However, if you drive an all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicle, you may need to rotate your tires more often — every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. You can look at your owners manual to determine how often you should have your tires rotated. 

What Happens If You Don’t Rotate Your Tires?

Without regular tire rotations, your treads could wear down unevenly, creating a rough or unstable driving surface. This type of tire tread wear can put your safety at risk while driving. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, inadequate tread depth is responsible for over 25% of all tire-related auto accidents.

Here are some significant concerns when you fail to rotate your tires:

Hydroplaning

A healthy tread has deep grooves that help channel water away from the driving surface. This allows your tires to maintain a firm grip on the road. However, if your tires don’t have adequate tread depth, they can skim across the top of the water. This can dangerously compromise your control, steering, and handling. 

Heat Buildup

When your vehicle moves, your tires and the road create friction, generating heat. If you have a low tread, your tires don’t have the space for the cooling airflow, causing the heat to reach unsafe levels quickly. When there’s too much heat, you may experience tire issues, such as blowouts and tread separation.

Poor Traction in Ice or Snow

Designed with sharper, wider, deeper, and more irregular treads, a snow tire increases traction by gripping into packed snow. With insufficient tread depths, driving in winter conditions can put your safety at risk, as there’s a greater chance that you may spin out or slide around on icy roads. 

Blowouts and Punctures

If you don’t rotate your tires regularly, a spot on a tire experiencing too much strain can wear thin. The thinner the spot gets, the greater the possibility that glass, a nail, or even a sharp rock could poke a hole in your tire. After all, a vehicle’s tires  — like chains — are only as sturdy as their weakest point.

Warning Signs You May Need a Tire Rotation

The best way to know when to rotate your tires is to have an experienced mechanic do an inspection. You can also watch for these warning signs as an indicator that your vehicle’s tires need a rotation:

Bald Tires

Consider giving your vehicle’s tires an up-close inspection. If you see any bald spots — when there’s no visible tread design — it’s a clear sign that you should rotate or replace your tires as soon as possible. 

Vibrations While Driving

As mentioned, if you don’t rotate your tires periodically, it can cause uneven tire wear. This can make your car feel like a roller coaster at high speeds. So, if you notice your car is vibrating when you get on the highway, consider checking your tire tread for signs of wear. 

That said, vibrations don’t always stem from uneven tire tread. They are a vital warning sign that you need a thorough tire inspection. Taking your vehicle to our auto service center for a tire inspection is the easiest and fastest way to determine the problem. 

Tire Pressure Keeps Going Down

If you notice one of your tires keeps losing air while others remain full, there may be a weak spot in the tire from excessive wear or tread damage. This usually happens with driver-side tires, which anchor the driver’s weight. 

If your vehicle’s tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) alerts you to this issue, make sure to refill your tires immediately. Also, watch for another TPMS warning light, as this may indicate a more serious problem. If this happens, consider making an appointment with our service center. 

Pulling To One Side

When you release your steering wheel, your vehicle should drive straight. Even the slightest curvature indicates that your tires aren’t properly aligned. This may be due to very uneven tire wear, though it’s more likely to mean that you need to get your wheels aligned. 

When you take your vehicle to us for a wheel alignment service, we’ll rotate your tires to make sure future tread wear is more evenly distributed. FWD, RWD, and AWD vehicles have different tire rotation patterns, so it’s important that you bring your car to us. Our experienced auto technicians will rotate your tires per the manufacturer’s recommendations. 

Get Quality Tire Service From Huffines Chevrolet Plano

Tire life expectancy greatly depends on your vehicle’s model, the quality of the tires, and your driving habits. But you can extend your tires’ lifespan by regular rotation. Are you looking for a reputable Chevrolet service center in Plano, Texas, providing high-quality tire rotation or alignment services and quality Chevy parts? If so, consider getting in touch with Huffines Chevrolet Plano. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. You can also check our vast inventory of new and pre-owned vehicles online or see them in person at our dealership.


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