How Often Should I Rotate My Tires?

Tires are the only part of your vehicle that contacts the road. In adverse weather or road conditions, well-maintained tires will reward you, and neglected tires will betray you. Even in perfect conditions, your tires will wear over time, and since they aren't cheap to replace, you want to get as many miles out of them as safely possible. Tire rotations are one of the most overlooked, but important recommended services to extend the life out of your tires.

So what is a tire rotation? It’s pretty straightforward: moving your front tires to the rear and the rear tires to the front. Sometimes, the tires also switch sides from left to right. What kind of tires you have may affect what pattern your tires need to be rotated in. For example, directional tires cannot be moved from one side to the other.

In general, it’s a good idea to have your tires rotated and balanced every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, depending on the type of driving you do. Other factors, like a poor alignment, underinflated tires, unbalanced wheels, or suspension problems may cause excessive wear. Having your tires rotated at regular intervals means one of our skilled technicians will inspect your tires for any of these symptoms, and you can drive away confident in your vehicle's performance.

Rotating your tires ensures they are wearing evenly. Since many cars don't have a perfect 50/50 weight distribution, added weight on the front or rear will cause those tires to wear more quickly. Your drive wheels (the wheels that get power) also wear faster than the wheels that do not. On a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the front tires will wear more quickly. If you neglect regular rotations, you'll need to replace your tires much more often.

If your car has a full-size spare, you may wish to ask a service technician if you should include that in the rotation, too. Significant tread variation can take a toll on your axles, differential, and suspension. Especially in all-wheel-drive vehicles, it can cause significant issues. Taking a short amount of time to get your tires rotated could save you more money down the road in replacement tires and even expensive repairs.

The service department at Audi Silver Spring has more tips on how to extend the life of your tires. Schedule your service online or call us and we'll be happy to help!