You may give them a kick when checking out a new car but
your tires need much more attention than a love tap. Keeping your tires in good
condition can do more than just keep you on the road, it will improve gas
mileage, vehicle handling and reduce the risk of breakdowns or accidents.
Basics
Knowing what tire size and pressure you need is the beginning
to keeping your tires in shape. The vehicle manufacturer's recommendations can
be found in the glove-box, the trunk lid or on the door edge as well as other
places. Tire pressure limits can be found in the owner's manual.
Under Pressure
Tire pressure is important in vehicle handling, gas mileage
and load limits. The pressure is the amount of air inside the tire measured in
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa). Keep in mind that an
increased load will put more weight on the tires and can affect the pressure
limit. Checking the tire pressure is simple with a pressure gauge that can be
found at your local auto or hardware store. Some air pumps used to inflate
tires may have a pressure gauge as well. The maximum inflation pressure can be
found on the tire sidewall or in the vehicle owner's manual.
Important: In order to reach the correct recommended tire
pressure, the tires need to be gauged when they are "cold." This does
not mean outside temperature, rather that you should check the levels when the
tires haven't been driven on for more than three hours. Driving increases the
pressure level from heat and friction and will give you an inaccurate reading.
Tread Softly
If you aren't drifting, you'll want to
get the most traction possible while driving. Changing your tires when the
tread has worn is important in preventing accidents or blowouts. There are
indicators on your tires that will let you know when they need to be replaced.
You'll see raised pieces of rubber throughout the tire between the grooves. Another
way to check is placing a penny upside down between the treads - if you can see
Honest Abe's head - it's time to change your tires.
Keeping Your Balance
If you don't want your car doing the shimmy shake, you need to
keep your tires balanced. This requires the weights on your tires being placed
correctly to counterbalance any heavy spots on the wheel. An alignment will
keep the tires correctly positioned with the vehicle's frame and will keep you
driving straight. Both a balance and alignment require equipment found in a
mechanic shop and should be completed by a certified technician.
Repair and Rotation
If your tires are all the same size, you can prevent uneven
wear and tear by having them rotated. Your owner's manual should illustrate how
and when to rotate your tires. If you have the correct tools and proper
knowledge this is a maintenance technique you can perform at home, but relying
on a professional's help is always a good way to go.
Sometimes you may notice low tire pressure even
with proper maintenance, which could mean you have a puncture in your tread. A
puncture in the tread can be repaired with a tire plug repair kit if the damage
isn't too large. Any puncture to the sidewall cannot be repaired. A nice trick
to finding the puncture involves removing the tire from the axle and slowly
turning the tire in soapy water. If you see bubbles from the tread, that's more
than likely the place of the puncture. It takes steady hands and muscle to plug
the tread so make sure you're prepared to do the work if you take on the task
at home.
Come in today and let the service professionals at Honda Mall of Georgia take care of your tires and your car!
Call
877-891-3532 and speak to our friendly staff today! Learn about our latest Honda
Specials, set up an informative test drive, get
details on any vehicle,
request a brochure, schedule a service
appointment, discuss your trade-in
or even talk financing
on your next car. We are here to help you.
Honda Mall of Georgia is your local Honda dealer located in Buford, GA. Your satisfaction is our goal!
Still deciding on which
Honda you’d like to be driving? Searching for OEM factory rebates? Are you comparing
lease programs or internet specials? Maybe you simply want our best price on a
new or used car? For all of this and more, look no further than Honda Mall of Georgia. Our team
is made up of professional associates that offer you a no-pressure environment
and operate with the quality you'd expect. We look forward to helping you with
your next new or used car purchase.
Sales
hours: Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Service hours: Monday -
Friday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Closed Sunda
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