How to Choose the Correct Tires for Your Vehicle

How to Choose the Correct Tires for Your Vehicle

Let's talk tires. Why are good tires so important? Your tires are the only parts of your vehicle that actually touch the road. That makes them pretty important!

Choosing the correct tires can improve traction, handling, braking, and fuel efficiency.

How Do You Know the Correct Tire Size?

Always choose a tire size recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. You can usually find the recommended size:

1. On the tire information sticker on the driver's side door jamb.
2. In your vehicle owner's manual.

Note: Don't assume the tires currently on the vehicle are the correct size. A previous owner may have installed a different size.

Using the wrong tire size can affect steering, braking, handling, and fuel economy. A significantly different tire diameter can also make your speedometer inaccurate.

Understand the Tire Sidewall

A tire marked P215/65R16 98H, for example, provides quite a bit of information:

P – Designed for a passenger vehicle
215 – Tire width in millimeters
65 – Aspect ratio (sidewall height as a percentage of tire width)
R – Radial construction
16 – Wheel diameter in inches
98 – Load index
H – Speed rating

You don't need to memorize every tire code, but knowing what those numbers and letters mean can help you shop for the correct tires.

Select the Right Type of Tire

Choose tires that match your vehicle and the conditions in which you normally drive:

- All-Season Tires: Designed to provide a balance of performance in dry and wet conditions and some light winter conditions.
- Summer Tires: Provide good handling and traction in warm weather but are not designed for snow or freezing temperatures.
- Winter (Snow) Tires: Designed to provide better traction in snow, ice, and cold temperatures.
- All-Terrain Tires: Designed for a combination of paved-road and off-road driving.
- Mud-Terrain Tires: Designed primarily for serious off-road conditions and may be noisier and wear more quickly on pavement.

Buy Matching Tires

For the best handling and stability, follow the vehicle and tire manufacturers' recommendations when replacing tires. Ideally, tires should have compatible size, construction, load capacity, speed rating, and performance characteristics. Avoid randomly mixing different types of tires because doing so can affect handling and braking.

Check the Tire's Age

Tires deteriorate as they age, even if they still have plenty of tread. Check the DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) on the sidewall. The last four digits identify the week and year the tire was manufactured. For example, 3822 means the tire was manufactured during the 38th week of 2022.

Vehicle and tire manufacturers may recommend replacing tires based on age—often somewhere between six and ten years—regardless of treadwear. Always follow the recommendations for your particular vehicle and tires.

Look at the Tire Ratings

Many passenger tires display UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grading) ratings:

- Treadwear: A comparative rating of expected tread wear.
- Traction: Rates the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement under specified test conditions.
- Temperature: Rates the tire's resistance to heat buildup.

These ratings can help you compare similar tires, but they should not be the only factor in your decision.

Maintain Your Tires

Choosing the right tires is only the beginning. Help them do their job by:

1. Checking tire pressure at least once a month.
2. Rotating tires every 5,000–8,000 miles, or as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
3. Inspecting tires for uneven wear, cuts, punctures, cracks, or bulges.
4. Replacing tires when the tread reaches 2/32 inch.

Your tires aren't the most exciting part of your vehicle, but when you need to stop quickly on a wet road, you'll be very glad you chose—and maintained—the right ones.

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