Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that has direct contact with the road. Tires affect your vehicle handling, ride, braking, and safety. Properly maintaining your tires is a critical part of maintaining your vehicle.
Checking Tread Depth
Once every month or before you embark upon a long road trip, check your tires for wear and damage problems. One easy way to check for wear is by using the Penny Test.
- Take a penny and hold Abraham Lincoln's body between your thumb and forefinger.
- Select a point on your tire where the tread appears to be lowest and place Lincoln's head into one of the grooves.
- If any part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the safe amount of tread. If your tread gets below that, your car's ability to grip the road in adverse conditions is greatly reduced.
Checking Tire Pressure
Prior to entering the vehicle, check tire pressure using the recommended psi (pounds per square inch) located in the vehicle owner's manual or the driver's side door jamb of the vehicle. Use a tire pressure gauge to check your psi.