Inspection

Tire Inspection

At least once a month, inspect your tires closely for signs of tire damage such as cuts or punctures as well as uneven or excessive wear.

When inspecting your tires, you should also look for any stones, bits of glass, metal, or other foreign objects in the tread or sidewall. These may work deeper into the tire and cause air loss. If any tire continually needs more air, have your Nitto Tires dealer check to find out why it is leaking. Damage to the tire, wheel, or valve may be the problem.

Tire Damage - Repair or Replace?

Which types of tire injuries are serviceable? The answer to that question depends upon the injury itself.

Air loss due to punctures can ruin tires that might have been saved had they been removed in time for proper repair. Gradual air loss causes a tire's operating temperature to rise, which can cause some components to separate, or damage the tire body in ways that create rapid, or sudden air loss.

To be safe, a Nitto Tires dealer should evaluate every injury, including punctures, scrapes, bulges, separations, or cuts.

Excessive Wear

When the tread is worn down to 2/32nds, or one-sixteenth of an inch, the tire is worn out and it is time to replace it. Built-in treadwear indicators, or "wear bars," which look like narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tread, will appear on the tire when that point of wear is reached.

Tires must be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch in order to prevent skidding and hydroplaning. An easy test: place a penny into a tread groove, with the Queen going in head first. If the top of the Queen's head is covered by tread, you're driving with the proper amount of tread. If you can see the top of her head, it's time to replace the tire.

Uneven Wear

Improper inflation pressures, misalignment, improper balance, or suspension neglect may cause uneven wear patterns. If not corrected, further tire damage will occur. If you discover uneven wear, take your car to your nearest Nitto Tire dealer. In many instances, the dealer can correct the problem so you can continue to use your tires.