When to Buy
All tires wear out eventually and damage unfortunately happens. The important thing is to quickly determine if your tires are safe to drive on, in need of service, or need to be replaced. Here are some simple ways to tell if you need to buy new tires:
The right tire for the season
To assist you in making the proper tire choice by seasonality, this bulletin provides information regarding intended use and application guidelines for various types of tires. Different types of tires provide unique performances that are delivered by specific technical solutions including mold design, construction and materials.
We therefore recommend the following:
- Summer tires are designed to perform best in warm weather conditions. Summer tires should be removed when ambient temperatures are consistently below 7°C.
- All Season tires are designed to provide optimized performance in warm weather conditions as well as a reliable performance in moderate winter conditions. All Season tires should be replaced by winter tires on all wheel positions during severe winter conditions (when temperatures are consistently below the freezing point and/or there are regular winter precipitations such as snow or freezing rain).
- Winter tires are designed to perform best in cold weather during severe winter conditions. Winter tires should be removed when ambient temperature is consistently above 7°C.
This chart is intended as a guideline for the optimal usage and performance.
It is important to note that all MICHELIN® tires meet or exceed federal regulations.
Your Tire Is Damaged
There is a good chance that your tire can be repaired if:
- The tire has not been driven on when flat
- The damage is only on the tread section of your tire
- The puncture is less than 1/4 inch
Have an authorized tire dealer or mechanic remove the tire from the wheel and inspect the tire from the inside. This inspection is absolutely necessary because internal damage is not visible while the tire is mounted.
The proper way to have a tire repaired is to patch the tire from the inside. If you are offered a plug repair--refuse! Plug repairs do not involve taking the tire off the wheel for a proper inspection. A plug is simply inserted into the punctured area. Plug repairs are not reliable and can cause the tire to blowout. Insist on a full inspection and patch repair on the inside of the tire.
Your Tire Is Worn
It's a good idea to check your tires once a month for visible damage and excess wear. There are two ways to tell if your tires are worn out:
Look for wear bars
These are narrow bands that appear in the grooves across the tread of the tire. When the wear
bars are even with the tread depth, only 2/32-inch of tread remains. If you can see the wear bars,
it's time to replace the tire.
- The Penny Trick
- The other way to tell if the tread is worn out, is to place a penny into the most shallow tread groove with the head down. If the top of the head remains visible, then the tire should be replaced.
If the tread is worn below 2/32-inch, water can not be channeled away from the tread. At high speeds, this can result in aquaplaning. Traction in snow is also reduced or eliminated completely.
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