Worn or damaged tires make driving stressful and dangerous because they increase your braking distance, potentially resulting in a blowout or a leak. As your West County Mazda dealership, we’re here to bring awareness to tire health. Here’s a few signs you need to visit us for new tires:
Sidewall Damage
The tire sidewall is the section of the tire that’s perpendicular to the road surface. it’s made from a thinner and softer rubber than the tread, and it also lacks the tread’s metal and polymer reinforcement. The softer rubber provides increased flexibility, but it also makes it more prone to potential damage. The sidewalls can become damaged by sharp objects like stones, nails, or other small debris thrown up from the road.
A small leak in the sidewall can be difficult to spot, but it will cause the tire pressure to drop. If the pressure drops low enough, the tire will sag, exposing part of the sidewall to friction with the surface. The sidewall will suffer increased damage due to the lack of reinforcement, and your tire can fail. We’ll examine your tires and repair them if possible. If a tire is severely damaged, we’ll install a replacement.
Overinflated Tires
Overinflation is just as damaging to a tire as underinflation. Your tires have a set pressure, and the correct pressure is determined during your vehicle’s design process. As you drive, friction with the surface causes the air inside a tire to heat up, increasing the tire’s internal pressure. When your vehicle is at rest, the air will cool, and the tire pressure will return to normal.
An overinflated tire has too much air, and this causes the tire rubber to stretch thinner than it should. The increased internal pressure when the excess air heats up, combined with the stretched rubber, makes a blowout more likely. This is a dangerous situation, particularly if a blowout happens when you’re driving at high speed. We can easily correct your tire pressure, and we’ll check the tire for damage.
Tread Wear Bars
Tread wear bars are raised rubber sections that are built into your tires. They run perpendicular to the tread and are almost invisible when your tread is in good condition. As your tread wears down, the wear bars will become more prominent and need to be monitored. You can get a rough idea of your tire condition by running your finger over the tread and wear bars.
If the wear bars are lower than the tread, your tire is still in good condition. If you feel the wear bars are level with the tread, your tires are worn and will need replacement. We’ll check your tires to confirm this diagnosis and replace and balance them if they’re damaged.
If your tires are worn, we encourage you to visit us today at Bommarito Mazda West County in Ellisville, MO.
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