Time for New Tires? Visit Your Kia Dealership in Lanham, MD

The only part of your car that’s in contact with the ground is your tires. This contact, whether on gravel, sand, or the highway, leads to friction and damage. Modern tires are far stronger than those of just 30 years ago, but they will still wear out. A blowout could leave you stranded, or even worse, it could cause a serious accident. If you need new tires in Maryland, as your old ones are showing signs of wear, your Kia dealer in Lanham can help.

The Penny Trick

Your tire tread is the raised section of your tires, and its purpose is to allow for a better grip on the surface as you drive. This is important to maintain good control and handling and is even more important in wet or snowy conditions. As your tires move, they gradually wear due to surface contact. The tread thickness will start to thin out, and the thinner the tread, the less grip your tires have.

An old trick to test tread thickness is to put an upside-down penny into the thinnest part of the tread. If you can see only part of Lincoln’s face, that’s great as your tire tread is fine. Seeing Lincoln’s hairline means that your tire tread is thin, and it’s time to plan for replacement. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, the tread is very worn, and they need to be replaced immediately.

Uneven Wear

Depending on whether your car is an FWD, RWD, or AWD, your car’s tires will suffer different degrees of wear. Your rear tires will generally wear less than the front ones as approximately 60% of the weight of your car is in the front. We advise that your car’s tires should be regularly rotated to spread the wear and allow for a more standard tread thickness between tires.

If your tires are not rotated regularly, you’ll find that driving becomes bumpier. Any worn tires will wear out faster and need to be replaced. The worn tires will also affect your car’s balance.

Damaged Sidewalls

The sidewalls of your tires are made of a softer rubber than the tread of your tires. This makes them more prone to damage. Small scrapes or nicks in the sidewall aren’t normally a problem, as they don’t penetrate deep into the tire. Any cut or gouge in the sidewall, however, can grow in size and cause a leak. Any sharp object that sticks into the sidewall also can’t be fixed, as the softer rubber prevents applying a patch.

Bulging or blistering in the sidewall can be caused by age as the rubber weakens through time, or due to persistent hot conditions. If you have a bulge in the sidewall, the tire will need to be replaced ASAP as it can burst at any time.

Need New Tires in Lanham, MD? Get Tires and Expert Installation Here

For safe driving, good tires are essential. Call our Service Department at DARCARS Lanham Kia. We have the perfect tires available for your car.

Tags: Tire FAQs, When to Change Tires
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