According to the national highway traffic administration, 2% of all accidents in the world are a result of an issue with the vehicle, of which 35% are due to faulty tires. A tire failing on you may be standard, from air pressure leaks to punctures. But not taking care of your tires can lead to devastating accidents,
People don't pay much attention to their tires until something goes wrong, or when it's already too late. From punctures to air leaks and bulges to bursts, a lot of things can go wrong with a tire. But lucky for you, you can avoid being in such a messy situation by merely getting those tires changed.
Here are a few signs that show you it's time to get a new tire.
It can be very easy to dismiss the problems with your tires. From nasty vibrations to straight-up bursting open, a lot of bad things can happen if you don't take care of your tires. Besides, tires can be quite expensive, and you don't want to be replacing your tires prematurely just because someone told you it was a good idea.
Vibration
Let's start with the most subtle one, vibrations. Your car vibrating may be nothing new or nothing special. Cars vibrate all the time, especially on rocky roads or at much higher speeds. These subtle vibrations are, of course, nothing to worry about. But the vibration is a bit different when there is something wrong with your tires.
Of course, vibrations can be a sign of many different problems from weak suspensions to out of balance wheels to faulty wheels. Regardless of what the problem is, it is never a good sign when your car is vibrating that way.
Experienced drivers always get a feel for their car in a way an inexperienced driver may not. In other words, experienced drivers can tell a bad vibration from a necessary one. When driving on a smooth road at a speed of about 70 to 80 km/h, if you are still experiencing strange vibrations, then you know something is wrong with your car.
Bulges and Blisters
This is one of the more obvious problems with a tire. When the outer surface of the tire starts to weaken, bumps or blisters can be very common. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! Much more dangerous than your car vibrating when you drive.
The constant vibration is a sign that something is bad. Bulges and blisters, on the other hand, do not give off such a visible red flag. Sometimes, you won't even be able to find the bulge or blister unless you're looking for it. And if the tires go unchecked or unnoticed, this can prove to be a severe problem.
The best analogy that most people use to define these bulges and blisters is that they are a ticking time bomb without the timer. At any time, your tire can explode, leading to a major accident.
Tread Depth
The more you use your tires, the more rubber wears off them. Much like shoes that begin to wear out, extensive use of the tires makes them lose their grip. Eventually, there will come a time that after much extensive use, the tire will wear out its rubber completely and lose its grip.
Tires maintain their grip on the road because of the treads on them. The tread starts to lose depth with time. You can check this depth with a proper gauge that professionals use, or you can check with the help of something as simple as a coin. Take a coin that is about the size of an American penny, and press it into the tread cracks.
Of course, the entire penny will not go into the cracks of even a new tire, but you can get a good enough idea about just how deep the tread is. But for more accurate measurements, you have to make sure that your tire's tread doesn't fall below 1.6 millimetres or 1/16th of an inch.
The Tread Wear Indicator Bar
As companies begin to understand the importance of changing tires at the slightest problem, they are taking steps to help people notice them better. Nearly all new tires in the current day come with a treadwear indicator that is almost invisible on a new tire. However, with use, this tread wear indicator begins more and more apparent.
The treadwear indicator can be different depending on the tire that you get, but it often has a very distinct shape that can be noticed almost instantly. You can see the indicator bar when the tire passes over water and leaves a mark. If there are only parallel lines, you are good to go. If there are lines with patterns, it's time for you to check up on the tread depth.
Cracks on The Rubber
Finally, the last thing that you will have to look out for in your tire are cracks on the rubber. Cracks on your tires appear over time. So even if you haven't been using your car for some time, its tires can still get cracks. Now, these cracks can be a little hard to spot. But on first or second glance, you can see the cuts distinctly enough from the original grooves of the tire. And if you start to see cracks, then it's probably time to see a mechanic.
In conclusion, tires are essential parts of the car, and you should be more careful with them. It is easy to ignore them when you think of your car's maintenance, but even the slightest mistake can lead to horrible accidents. Make sure you keep on checking the condition of your tires and change them regularly based on your usage of the vehicle.