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Check Your Air Pressure
Keep your tires properly inflated and you could improve gas mileage by more than $1.50 every time you fill your tank. The recommended tire pressure for your vehicle is located on a sticker inside your driver-side door or noted in your owner's manual. Maintain Your Air Filter Replacing a clogged air filter can increase your vehicle's gas mileage by as much as 10%. Watch The Weight Excess weight in your vehicle can reduce gas mileage by 1-2% for every 100 pounds, so watch what you keep in your trunk. Know Your Oil Improve your gas mileage by up to 2% with the proper grade of motor oil. Keep It Tuned Keeping up with regular vehicle maintenance can allow you to increase your gas mileage by an average of 4.1%. Keep It Capped Did you know about 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year from vehicles without gas caps? Avoid Fast Starts Don't be a hot-head! Aggressive acceleration can reduce your gas mileage by up to a whopping 33%! Proper Inflation Maintaining proper air pressure is the single most important thing drivers can do for their tires. In the space of just one month, a tire can lose two pounds of air pressure. Balance And Alignment Regular Rotation Visual Inspection Repairs Everything You Need To Know — Your Sidewall Has It The side of your tire — known as the sidewall — contains all of the information you need to know about your tire. Whether your tire comes from Goodyear or some other manufacturer, all tires are required to show this information.
Tire Type defines the proper use of the tire. For example, the “P” on the tire shown here means that this is a passenger car tire. If the tire had an “LT” designation, the tire would be for a light truck. Tire Width is the width of the tire measured in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. This tire width is 215 millimeters. Aspect Ratio is the ratio of the height of the tire's cross-section to its width. On our example, 65 means that the height is equal to 65% of the tire's width. Construction tells you how the layers of the tire were put together. The “R” stands for Radial which means the layers run radially across the tire. A “B” stands for bias construction which means that the layers run diagonally. Wheel Diameter is the width of the wheel from one end to the other. The diameter of this wheel is 15 inches. Load Index indicates the maximum load in pounds that the tire can support when properly inflated. You'll also find the maximum load elsewhere on the tire sidewall, both in pounds and kilograms. Speed Rating tells you the maximum service speed for a tire. “H” means that the tire has a maximum service speed of 130 mph. This rating relates only to tire speed capability and is NOT a recommendation to exceed legally posted speed limits. Speed Rating Chart DOT means that the tire complies with all applicable safety standards established by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Next to this is a tire identification or serial number — a combination of numbers and letters up to 12 digits. UTQG stands for Uniform Tire Quality Grading, a rating system developed by DOT. For more information on UTQG Check Your Tire Inflation Proper tire inflation is essential for safe driving and long tire life. It's wise to check your tires' air pressure at least once a month with an accurate tire pressure gauge. Be sure to check pressure while your tires are cold and have not been used recently. Even driving a mile will cause your tire pressure to increase and give you an inaccurate reading. Should you experience continuous loss of inflation pressure, it could be an indication of a possible tire or wheel assembly problem. Consult your tire professional immediately if you encounter this situation. Check Your Tire Tread
Goodyear suggests you check your tire tread using either method every 3,000 miles. Know What Certain Wear Patterns Mean As tires wear, sometimes wear patterns emerge that can indicate problems with your vehicle or tires. If you see any of these patterns, have your tires checked by a professional Goodyear Retailer. Here are some wear patterns to watch for.
Tire Balancing If your tires are unbalanced, you'll notice vibration. This can lead to driver fatigue, premature or irregular tire wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. Your tires should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after repair. Check your tire balance at the first sign of vibration or shimmy. Vehicle Alignment Your vehicle is properly aligned when all of its suspension and steering components are working smoothly and when its tire and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. If you notice uneven tread wear, it could be due to a misalignment and your vehicle should be serviced by a professional. Tire Rotation While many people are knowledgeable enough to rotate their own tires, the procedure is especially quick and easy for a professional. Your vehicle's owner's manual will specify the proper rotation pattern and schedule for your vehicle. If no specific schedule is indicated, a good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. Tire Repair Tire repairs should be made by a trained tire professional. Proper repair procedure includes dismounting the tire from the wheel. This allows for thorough inspection of the tire for damage, as well as the use of a patch and plug to repair any punctures that fall within the guidelines for repair. You Are Wearing Your Snow Boots… But What About Your Car?
See Your Way Through The Storm.
Don’t Get Stuck Without Enough Juice.
Blended Is Better With Ice.
Stay Half Full.
It May Be Time To Flush.
Tighten Your Belts.
Be Clean.
Be Prepared.
How can I check my tires for wear problems?
Tires often give their owners signs of problems in plenty of time to have them corrected. Learn to "read" these early warning signs and you can prevent many wear problems that shorten tire life by thousands of miles. How much air should I put in my tires? 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 door post or on the inside of the glovebox door. Always check inflation when tires are COLD: when the vehicle has been driven less than a mile or one hour or more after driving. Use a good quality tire gauge. Note: It's natural for radial tires to have a slight bulge in the sidewall at their proper inflation pressure. Check or adjust inflation every few weeks, before any long trip or if traveling with a heavy load. And don't forget to check the spare. Is it safe to repair a flat tire? If a tire loses all or most of its air pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to be sure it's not damaged. Tires that are run even short distances while flat are often damaged beyond repair. Most punctures, nail holes, or cuts up to 1/4 inch -- confined to the tread -- may be satisfactorily repaired by trained personnel using industry-approved methods. Don't repair tires with tread punctures larger than 1/4 inch, or any sidewall puncture. Also, never repair tires which are worn below 1/16 inch tread depth. Your best bet is to make sure your spare tire is always ready to do the job. Check it regularly for proper air pressure and be sure that it is in good shape. If your car is equipped with one of the several types of temporary spares, be sure to check the spare tire's sidewall for the correct inflation pressure, speed, and mileage limitations. How much air should I put in my tires? 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 door post or on the inside of the glovebox door. Always check inflation when tires are COLD: when the vehicle has been driven less than a mile or one hour or more after driving. Use a good quality tire gauge. Note: It's natural for radial tires to have a slight bulge in the sidewall at their proper inflation pressure. Check or adjust inflation every few weeks, before any long trip or if traveling with a heavy load. And don't forget to check the spare. Isn't it easy to mount a tire on a wheel? Can't I do it myself? Never try to mount your own tires. Tire mounting is a job for the people who have the proper equipment and experience. If you try to do it yourself, you run the risk of serious injury to yourself as well as possible damage to the tire and rim. Should I rotate my tires? Regular and proper tire rotation promotes more uniform wear for all of the tires on a vehicle. All season tires should be rotated in a "modified X" pattern, meaning only the tires being moved to the drive axle are crossed to the opposite side of the vehicle. The remaining two tires are moved from the drive axle to the free rolling axle, remaining on the same side of the vehicle. This method of rotation helps promote a more even and uniform treadwear pattern for all four tires. The only exception to this would be the use of "directional" tread design tires such as our Aquatred II or some of our Eagle line high performance tires. These tires would remain on the same side of the vehicle and be rotated straight forward and straight back. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, we recommend crossing both pairs of tires to their new axle positions. We recommend tire rotation at least every 6,000 miles. Four-wheel drive vehicles may require rotation even sooner such as every 4,000 miles. Check your vehicle owner's manual for the manufacturer's rotation recommendations. If no rotation period is specified, tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. The first rotation is the most important. When tires are rotated, inflation pressures must be adjusted to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. Uneven tire wear may also be due to misalignment or mechanical problems. What is alignment? 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 "front-end" alignment or a "four-wheel" alignment, depending on the symptoms you are experiencing. The moderate cost of having your vehicle aligned can more than pay for itself in tire mileage, performance and comfort. What should I do if I notice a vibration? Vibration is an indication that your car has a problem that needs attention. The tires, steering system and suspension system should be checked to help determine the possible cause and correction of the vibration. If left unattended, the vibration could cause excessive tire and suspension wear. It could even be dangerous. Why do my tires need to be balanced? Properly balanced tires are important for driving comfort and long tire life. Unbalanced tires can cause vibration, resulting in driver fatigue, premature tire wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension. Tires should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after repair. Tires should be rebalanced at the first sign of vibration or "shimmy." Vibration may also be due to misalignment or mechanical problems.
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