Maintaining your tires is one of the best ways to keep your car running smoothly. Besides helping you get from here to there, the condition of your tires can impact 
other important elements of your car, like your fuel economy, steering, and braking. Use these tips to help you keep your tires in excellent condition so you can stay safe on the road.
Rotate Your Tires
Tires wear out in different spots depending on the location on your vehicle. Most experts recommend rotating your tires every 5,000 to 7,000 miles to help them wear more evenly. When tires are rotated, the back tires move to the front axle and the front tires to the back axle. Often, the technician will move the tires from the right side of the car to the left side and vice versa to ensure the tires receive equal wear. This way, pressure and wear are uniformly distributed across the whole tire, lengthening its life.
Place New Tires on the Back
If you’re getting a couple of new tires rather than a full set, make sure the technician places them on the rear axle of the vehicle rather than the front axle. Loss of traction on the back tires causes cars to spin out of control regardless of whether the vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive. For this reason, it’s absolutely vital that you ensure your back tires have sufficient tread and can grip the road effectively.
Maintain Tire Pressure
Low tire pressure, besides eventually leading to a flat tire, or worse, a damaged wheel, dramatically impacts fuel economy. Keep your tire pressure at the manufacturer’s recommended pressure to ensure maximum fuel economy and to keep your tires from going flat and wrecking your wheels.
Check Your Tread
Low, worn down tread on your tires can lead to serious issues. Without appropriate tread, tires can’t grip the road well, leaving you in danger. Luckily, it’s easy to check your tread and determine if you need new tires. Perform the penny test to see if your tires have a safe amount of tread or if you should replace them.
Get an Alignment
After driving on uneven roads, hitting potholes, or bumping the curb, your car’s alignment can get out of whack. A misaligned front end can lead to uneven wear and tear on your tires, causing you to have to replace your tires sooner than you should or replace one before the others. Have your alignment assessed by professionals periodically or if you notice your car is drifting in one direction or the other. Realignment can save you money on new tires.
We here at Crain Kia of Fayetteville understand the importance of keeping your Kia’s tires in excellent working condition. We have an exceptional service center complete with a tire center to ensure your car’s safety and excellent functionality on the road. Come visit us for any of your tire or service needs or to check out our fantastic selection of new and used Kia vehicles.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.