Tire safety tips for BC drivers
By LSG Auto Nation · · Updated
Short answer
Check your tire pressure once a month and before long trips, using the numbers on the sticker inside the driver's door. Replace tires when the tread is worn down to the wear bars in the grooves. Rotate them as your owner's manual says, and put winter tires on by October 1 if you drive on BC highways.
Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road. Looking after them helps you stop, steer and save gas, and it mostly comes down to a few quick checks.
How often should I check my tire pressure?
Once a month, and before long trips. Check when the tires are cold, before you’ve driven far. Use the numbers on the sticker inside the driver’s door. Don’t go by the number printed on the tire itself, because that’s the most the tire can hold. Cold weather lowers tire pressure, so check more often in fall and winter. Most gas stations have an air pump you can use.
How do I know if my tread is too low?
Most tires have small raised bars, called wear bars, inside the grooves. When the tread is worn down level with those bars, it’s time for new tires. You can also try the quarter test: put a quarter upside down into the tread. If you can see the tip of the caribou’s nose, your tread is getting low.
If a tire is wearing more on one edge or in patches, your wheel alignment, suspension or tire pressure may be off.
How often should tires be rotated?
Rotating means moving your tires to different wheels so they wear evenly and last longer. Follow your owner’s manual. Many cars need it at every oil change, or every other one.
When should I put winter tires on?
A simple rule: switch when daytime temperatures stay below about 7°C, because summer tires get hard and slippery in the cold. Many BC highways require winter tires from October 1, so if you drive out of town, switch before then. Our guide to winter tires in Kamloops explains the rules.
Can a flat tire be fixed?
Often, if the hole is in the tread, the part that touches the road. If the hole is in the sidewall, the side of the tire, you’ll usually need a new one. The same goes for a tire that’s been driven on while flat. Get it checked rather than guessing.
Signs your tires need checking
- The steering wheel shakes at highway speed
- The car pulls to one side
- A tire keeps losing air
- Bulges, cuts or cracks on the side of the tire
LSG Auto Nation sells and installs new tires and handles seasonal changeovers, rotations and flat repairs in Kamloops. Walk-ins are welcome.