- Tires are the most important, but least appreciated, car part. Good tires can make a car ride and handle like a dream. Mediocre or worn-out tires can make it feel as though you're constantly on a rocky unpaved trail. Most importantly, the condition and quality of your tires have a direct effect on your vehicles braking performance, so taking the time to educate yourself about vehicle tires may save you more than just your hard earned cash!
- All tires look pretty much the same, so it can be a challenge to choose the right ones. Here are some tips to help you make a confident choice.
When to buy:
- You probably need to replace your tires more often than you think. When the tread wears down, tires can't grip the road well. To determine tread depth, stick a penny with Lincoln's head top-down into the shallowest groove between treads. If you can see the top of Lincoln's hair, it's time to replace the tire. In areas with a lot of rain, you should use the same "hair" rule with a nickel instead of a penny.
- To discover your tire's age, find the alphanumeric code that begins with DOT (it may be on the inside sidewall). The two numbers or letters following DOT are the code of plant where the tire was manufactured. The last four numbers tell you the week and year the tire was made: "DOTB71002" means the tire was manufactured in October 2002 in Michelin's Dothan, Alabama, plant and is ready for the recycler.
How many to buy:
- It's best to replace all 4 tires. If that's not possible, exactly match the tires you're keeping, right down to the part number. Put the new tires on the rear axle. Having new tires on the front and worn tires on the rear can cause you to spin out if you hit a patch of deep water. When buying snow tires, get 4 or none.
Do you like your car's handling and ride?
- If so, buy exactly the same tires that are on your car now. A different tire will almost certainly make the car feel and perform differently. If there's something about your car's handling or ride you don't like, you may be able to fix it with an educated change of rubber. Talk to your tire dealer.
All-season isn't.
- Don't mistakenly assume that an all-season tire has more wet grip than a summer tire. In reality, all-season tires give up grip on both damp and dry roads to get some increased mobility in the snow. If you live where it rarely or never snows, purchase summer tires.
Big wheels keep on turnin'.
- Did you buy a car with large-diameter wheels and ultrahigh-performance tires? If so, the car may have a harsh ride, the tires a short tread life, and the wheels may be susceptible to bending. It's possible that a smaller diameter wheel will fit on your car. Go to a wheel store and ask a technician to try one. With a smaller-diameter wheel, you can buy tires with a taller sidewall. Taller sidewalls should provide a softer, but less precise, ride.
They aren't all the same.
- Michelin owns the Uniroyal and BF Goodrich brands. Goodyear has Kelly-Springfield and Dunlop. Bridgestone owns Firestone. Even if you buy an off-brand tire, it's possible that a quality company produced it. But possibly not. It's best to stick with the most well-known brands. Or you can check a tire's origin by checking the first two letters or numbers behind DOT on the tire sidewall on Wikipedia.
Regardless of tread depth, replace your tires if they are more than 5 years old.
Also replace any tires that show hairline cracks or have been damaged.
- The Check Engine Light (CEL) is a warning indicator: it means your car's computer has determined that a component or system in your emission controls is not working properly.
- Every vehicle manufactured to be sold in the U.S. has to pass an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) test procedure called the Federal Test Procedure. This sets the acceptable limits of wear and/or failure for the emission control system - i.e., what conditions ultimately cause a CEL to illuminate. These standards are closely regulated. If the emission-control system is faulty and the vehicle is polluting the air, the CEL illuminates to alert the driver of this condition. (A vehicle in this condition would fail an emissions inspection or smog check.)
- Don't confuse the CEL with the maintenance or service light. These lights illuminate when a routine service is due. They are usually triggered by mileage, gallons of gasoline consumed, or some other type of vehicle-use measurement.
The 4 Most Common Check Engine Light Scenarios and What to Do
The Check Engine Light turns on and off or flickers.
- If the CEL comes on in the city but goes off on the freeway, then the fault is present during city driving conditions. Pay attention to whether or not the vehicle runs or drives any differently when the CEL illuminates. If vehicle performance does change, drive the car as little as possible and take it to be checked by a service professional as soon as possible. If there is no change in vehicle performance, you can drive home and to a shop, but have it inspected as soon as possible. In this condition, you run a risk of the vehicle dying or not starting.
The Check Engine Light comes on and stays on.
- If the CEL illuminates constantly during driving with no noticeable driving or performance problems, there is a permanent fault in the emission-control system. When this happens, the computer that controls the emission system usually has a backup program that runs while the fault is present. (These backup programs are often referred to as “limp home” mode programs.) You should get the vehicle serviced as soon as possible, but in most cases, the vehicle will continue to operate, though you run a risk of it dying or not starting.
The Check Engine Light illuminates, stays on, and there are performance problems.
- This means that a vital component of your emission-control and engine-management system has a serious problem. It usually involves a component or system needed for the vehicle to run at all. In most cases, drive the vehicle as little as possible. In many cases, the vehicle is not safe to drive at all—it could stop or stall out at any moment. It is best to pull over to a safe place and have the vehicle towed to an automotive shop for a thorough inspection and repair.
The Check Engine Light light comes on and blinks in a steady pattern while driving.
- Don't confuse this steady pulsing of the CEL light (usually one or more flashes per second) with a flicker (see above). The CEL may stay on steadily, or it may flash when the vehicle is accelerated. This is very serious. There is a severe failure of the emission-control system that is causing the engine to misfire to the point that the catalytic converter is damaged each time the CEL flashes. It may mean that the catalytic converter is overheating to the point that it will glow red or, in extreme cases, start a fire on the underside of the vehicle.
- Immediately pull over to a safe place and have your vehicle towed to an automotive shop for repair.
** Vehicles can be severely damaged and even destroyed by
fire if this condition is ignored for too long **