Tires are just as important to your safety on the road as your brakes. All it takes is a single puncture or moment of lost traction to potentially cause an accident. With this in mind, always watch out for the following indications of worn-down or damaged tires. If you notice any of these issues, it’s a good idea to visit your local Nissan dealer for new tires as soon as you can.
Tread Depth Nears 2/32 of an Inch
When your tires are brand new, the tread depth will be around 10/32 or 11/32 of an inch. Over time, this tread depth diminishes, until it becomes too shallow to safely hold traction on normal road surfaces.
In the state of Indiana, the minimum legal tread depth is 2/32 of an inch for private vehicles and 4/32 of an inch for larger commercial vehicles. Make sure you replace your tires before the tread depth passes this limit. During winter, you may want to replace your tires when they reach about 5/32 of an inch as deeper treads are required to grip slippery winter roads.
Overly Uneven Tire Tread Wear
Tires tend to wear down at an uneven rate because there’s an uneven distribution of weight and pressure at the front and rear of most cars. The tire movements during steering also result in a specific pattern of tread wear, and sometimes misaligned wheels or suspension can also cause uneven wear.
Regular tire rotation will usually keep your tires from becoming too unbalanced. If you ever forget to have your tires rotated, they may become overly uneven, reducing your car’s performance and potentially causing damage to other connected car parts. If your tires are very uneven, you may need to have all four replaced.
Significant Cuts or Cracks in the Rubber
Any cuts or cracks in the rubber of your tires that are deep enough to see the underlying layer put the tire at risk of blowing out. Shallow cracks or cuts that are over an inch in length, or reach around the edge of the tire, are also a danger to you on the road.
Signs of Extensive Dry Rot
Tires exposed to extremes in the weather or temperatures can sometimes develop dry rot. This rots and dries out the rubber, causing the tires to become brittle and dangerous to drive on. Dry rot usually makes the color of tire rubber fade from black to gray.
If you think your tires may be worn out or damaged, visit Ed Martin Nissan of Fishers to have them replaced. We’re a locally trusted dealership with highly qualified technicians and over 600 new Nissan vehicles in stock.
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