When should you replace your tires?
Tires wear out long before they look worn out. These are the five signs that it is time, how to check your tread in under a minute, and what the law requires.
Tread at or near the legal limit
Below the common legal minimum of 2/32 inch a tire can fail inspection, void coverage after a crash, and has little wet grip left. Plan the change from 4/32 inch.
Cracks, bulges or cuts
A bulge in the sidewall means the internal structure has failed and the tire can let go without warning. Cracked, weathered rubber is age damage. Both mean replacement, not repair.
Uneven wear across the tread
One worn shoulder or a feathered edge usually points to alignment or suspension trouble. Replace the tire and have the cause corrected, or the new tire will wear the same way.
Vibration, pulling or noise
New shakes through the wheel, a steady pull to one side, or a hum that rises with speed can all be a failing tire. Have it inspected before a long trip.
Repeated punctures or old repairs
A tire can only be safely repaired in the central band, a limited number of times. Punctures in or near the sidewall, or a tire driven flat, mean replacement.
How to check your tread depth in under a minute
The legal minimum in most states is 2/32 inch across the tread, all the way around. Use a tread depth gauge, the penny test, or the wear bars molded into the grooves of every tire: when the tread sits flush with a wear bar, the tire is at the limit. Check all four tires and both edges as well as the center, because uneven wear can put one shoulder below the limit while the middle still looks healthy.
Safety organizations recommend replacing at 4/32 inch, not 2/32: braking distance in the wet grows sharply below 4/32.
Tires age even when they are not used
Rubber hardens and cracks with age regardless of mileage. Have tires inspected yearly once they pass five years, and replace them at ten years even if the tread looks fine, spare included. The four-digit DOT code on the sidewall shows the week and year of manufacture: 2523 means week 25 of 2023.
Common questions
How long do tires last?
Typically 25,000 to 50,000 miles depending on the tire, the car and how you drive, and no more than ten years regardless of mileage. Front tires on a front-wheel-drive car wear fastest.
Should I replace tires in pairs?
Replace in pairs across the same axle whenever the remaining tire is noticeably worn, so grip is balanced left to right. Fit the newer pair to the rear axle for stability.
Can I mix tire brands?
Mixing brands between axles is legal and common. Avoid mixing across the same axle, and never mix construction types on one axle. Matching the original size, load and speed rating matters most.
Do I need to replace all four tires at once?
Usually not. Most all-wheel-drive cars are the exception: a large difference in wear between axles can strain the drivetrain, so check your manual before replacing fewer than four.
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Find my tiresThe tire everyone forgets
The tire most often forgotten is the one in the trunk. A spare ages at the same rate as the four on the road, and it is usually the one nobody has checked pressure on since the car was new.
If your car has a full-size spare, include it in the occasional check: pressure, tread and the date code. A space-saver has its own speed and distance limits printed on it, and those exist because it is a get-you-home item rather than a tire.
Many cars now carry a sealant kit instead of a spare. Those have an expiry date on the bottle, and a kit that has passed it may not seal when you need it. It is worth knowing which of the three your car has before you need to find out on a hard shoulder.
Why tires are replaced in pairs
A installer will usually recommend replacing two at a time rather than one, and it is worth understanding why rather than assuming it is an upsell.
Two tires on the same axle with different tread depths behave differently under braking and in the wet, because the deeper one clears more water. That difference is small on a dry road and much less small on a wet one, and it shows up as the car pulling or the back stepping out when you least want it.
If you are only buying two, the conventional advice is to put the new pair on the REAR, whichever wheels drive the car. Understeer, where the front loses grip first, is more recoverable for most drivers than the back letting go. Front tires wearing faster on a front-drive car is normal and does not change that.
On an all-wheel-drive car the tolerance is tighter still, and some manufacturers specify replacing all four when the difference passes a certain point, because a persistent speed difference between axles loads the center differential. Check the handbook before buying just one.