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A vehicle is said to be properly aligned when all suspension and steering components are sound and when the tire and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Proper alignment is necessary for even tread wear and precise steering. Uneven front-or rear-tire wear, or changes in your vehicle's handling or steering response (i.e. pulling to one side) can indicate misalignment. Many vehicles today are equipped with rear suspensions that can be adjusted for alignment. Your vehicle may need a "f...

Proper inflation is the single most important part of tire care. The inflation pressure on the side of the tire is the MAXIMUM operating pressure. It is not necessarily the right inflation for your vehicle. Always use the inflation recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can find it in your owner's manual, posted on the edge of the driver's door, on a doorpost or on the inside of the glove box door. Always check inflation when tires are COLD: when the vehicle has been driven less than a mi...

Yes. All tires will run higher temperatures when they are under inflated or over loaded. It is very important to check the pressure in all of your tires before starting out on a trip where you will be driving at highway speeds for more than an hour. Always inflate the tires to the recommended pressures before starting on the trip. This precaution will help any tire run cooler.

If you often drive at highway speeds for periods of an hour or more, there is less chance a cooler running "A" graded tire will overheat than a "B" or "C" graded tire. All tires should perform safely and reliably when driven at the speed limit, but higher graded tires will give you a greater margin of safety. Your individual driving habits and the amount of time you spend driving in hot climates or at highway speeds should determine how much emphasis you put on the temperature resistance grade.

Sustained high temperatures can cause the tire material to degenerate and excessive temperatures can lead to blowouts and tread separations. The "A" rating signifies the coolest running tire.   If the vehicle and tires are maintained and operated properly, they should perform safely and reliably when run at the speed limit, even in very hot weather. "C" tires run hotter than tires graded "A" or "B", but a "C" graded tire is not "UNSAFE". Keep in mind that under-inflation or overloading will ove...

No. In fact, this is a dangerous practice. Under inflation does not improve traction. It causes the tire to run hot, which can damage it and increase the risk of a blowout. It will also wear out the tread faster and reduce your car's fuel economy. Proper tire pressure information can be found in the vehicle owner's manual and on the tire information placard on the vehicle.

Yes. When the tread is badly worn, all tires lose much of their stopping ability, especially on wet roads.   For safety reasons, it is important to replace tires when the built-in treadwear indicators begin to show (you will see lines across the tread when the groves measure only 1/16 of an inch deep (about the thickness of a nickel). Regardless of the traction grade a bald tire is dangerous. Keep in mind that properly maintained brakes are also extremely important to stopping performance.

In a straight line stop, the "AA" graded tire should allow you the stop your car on wet roads in a shorter distance than tires graded "A", "B" or "C". When driving on wet roads, good traction is important to your safety. Tires graded "C" offer the least traction on wet roads.

No. Mileage is determined primarily by driving habits. Drivers who start off slowly can expect the best tread life. Those who consistently make "jack rabbit" starts and stops and fast tire screeching turns will get the least.   Studies have shown that treadwear for the same tire can be as low as 14,000 for some drivers, but as high as 30,000 miles for other drivers in the same geographical area. Proper maintenance is also important. Under- or over-inflation, unbalanced wheels and wheel misalign...

Correct. It is not a measure of tread life. It indicates on that, under the same general conditions, one tire can be expected to produce more mileage than another, not what the mileage will be. Again, actual tread life is strongly influenced by where you live and how you drive. In some parts of the country, tires wear out faster. For example, the local rock used for road construction is rougher in some geographical area than in others. The same tire might give 20,000 miles in one part of the co...