Dec 5, 2024

When your tires show signs of damage or excessive wear, don’t hesitate to have them replaced. Tire failure causes over 11,000 crashes per year, many of them fatal. Most of these accidents wouldn’t have happened had the owner paid more attention to their tires. The following are common signs that a car needs new tires; you can have a fresh set promptly installed at your local Mazda dealer today. 

Need New Tires? Visit Your Mazda Dealership

Bulges in the Rubber

External blistering or bulging in a tire is never a good sign. Bulges are sometimes caused by an internal puncture releasing air that becomes trapped under the outermost layer. Whatever the cause, a bulge means that a patch of the tire is significantly weakened, and the tire is liable to blow out. Have it replaced as soon as you can. 

Deep or Long Cuts

Sharp objects such as nails, screws, pieces of glass, and jagged rocks can occasionally leave a gash in tire rubber. Small cuts in the thickest part of the treads aren’t necessarily a problem. Larger, longer cuts or gashes in the sidewalls are more likely to weaken the tire structurally. If you find a cut, no matter its size, ask a trusted technician to take a look.

Spreading Cracks

Once the first couple of years have passed, you can expect cracks to appear in your tires, particularly in the sidewalls. This occurs as UV rays and the elements dry out the chemicals inside the rubber. Cracks become problematic when they begin to spread and deepen more rapidly, which will eventually make the tire unsafe to use. 

Diminished Tread Depths

If your tires survive without damage for their full lifespan, the treads will wear down to 2/32, which is the minimum safe and legal tread depth. When your tires reach or near this shallowness, have them replaced before they start losing traction.

Poor Traction on Water

The primary purpose of tires is to hold to the tarmac firmly. If you ever sense a lessening of traction in your tires, have them replaced or at least inspected by a professional. It’s never wise to drive on tires that you don’t have full confidence in. 

Unevenly Worn Treads

You can expect your tires to wear down somewhat unevenly. Routine tire rotations normally resolve this issue, balancing things out and helping your tires last longer. However, if you miss a rotation or two and your tires become excessively uneven in size or wear patterns, consider replacing them with a new set, which will be much safer to use. 

Have your tires replaced and your road traction returned to optimal strength today. Visit Tom Bush Mazda in Jacksonville, FL. We’ve been diligently serving the region’s drivers for over 50 years, since 1974.