At Car Direct USA, we strive to make sure that our customers have the knowledge at hand to properly maintain their vehicle.  According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 660 highway fatalities are caused by under-inflated tires annually. Since this week is National Tire Awareness & Safety Week, we thought we’d take this opportunity to share some tips on how to properly maintain and care for you tires so that you get the most out of them.

• Tire Pressure – Don’t risk a blowout – you should check your tire pressure regularly as well as tire wear. You can usually find this information in your vehicle’s service manual, or on the vehicle information label found on the driver’s side door jamb. Also, don’t forget to check your spare tire as well.
• Tread Depth – You can check tire wear with the quick and easy penny trick. Put a penny into each of the tread grooves, with Lincoln’s head toward the inside. If you can see the top of Honest Abe’s head, your tires are worn. Be sure to check several grooves across the width of the tire. Tires are worn and unsafe with anything less than 2/32” of tread depth.
• Tire Rotation – Maintain consistent wear of your tires on your vehicle, this will allow you to control your car better.  To get the most out of your tires and the longest life to maximize your investment, rotate your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.
• Adjust for Loads – in the Hampton Roads area, we are constantly towing a boat, or loading down our vehicles for that trip to the beach, and packing up for vacation.  You may need to increase your tire pressure to accommodate the additional weight of your load.  Refer to your owner’s manual and/or the tire placard for recommended pressures.  And when you’re done, don’t forget to adjust back to the normal pressure your tires need.
• Avoid Potholes – Driving through just one large pothole, even in the summer, can weaken a tire, reducing its long-term durability and ride quality.  Potholes can also knock a vehicle out of alignment, reducing handling and tire life.  Drive around large puddles as well, they often hide deep, rain-filled potholes.

We encourage all of our customers to be aware of and follow-thru with ongoing maintenance.  This is why we offer all of our customers a lifetime of free oil changes and state inspections with their vehicle purchase!  We are happy to help our customers with any questions they have regarding tires, fluids, brakes, lights, wipers, and dashboard lights.  So if something comes up, don’t hesitate to contact us!