South Star Chrysler

Everyone knows that tires play an important role in your vehicle's road-handling performance. People forget, though, that proper tire maintenance, along with monitoring tire pressure, tread depth and performing regular tire rotations, are all safety issues.

Consider these Car Care Council statistics:
o    Only 14% of drivers properly check their tire pressure
o    Nearly 70% don't know how to tell if their tires are bald
o    45% wrongly believe that if taking a trip with a fully loaded vehicle that they're better off with tires that are slightly under inflated

To keep you from landing on the wrong side of these statistics, South Star Chrysler technicians are committed to proper tire maintenance.

Remember, tire pressure should be checked at least once a month.  Keep your tires properly inflated. You can find out what the tire pressure should be by looking on the placard on the edge of your door.  Your tires typically lose 1 psi (pound per square inch) each month. That adds up very quickly.  And remember, temperature can have a major impact. A drop of 10°F can also cause a 1 psi loss in pressure.  Low tire pressure, in turn, can result in reduced gas mileage and excessive heat build up leading to tire damage.  If a tire is under-inflated it will typically wear on the outer portions of the tire.  If a tire is over-inflated it will show signs of wear in the center of the tire.

 

Rotate your tires regularly.  In fact, Chrysler has specific recommendations for tire rotation.  Keeping to this schedule will help extend tire life.  Rotating your tires can even out wear rates based on the amount of weight that each tire carries on a vehicle.  

Check for signs of excessive or uneven tire wear. Uneven wear on the inside or outside could be an indication that other problems are lurking, so make sure your tires are professionally inspected.



Monitoring tread depth will help ensure you're receiving the proper level of traction and road-hugging performance as well as the ability to funnel water out from under the tire to reduce hydroplaning.  

Here's an old trick you can try yourself.  Insert a penny in the tread of the tires; if you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time to have them checked out.  Better still, ask your South Star Chrysler technician to inspect your tires and help you to avoid possible problems down the road.  Our technicians will inspect, rotate, and balance your tires, as scheduled.  And when it's time to replace them, we will determine the correct size and kind
of tire you need for your car or truck and type of driving you do.  Finally, we will make sure your new tires are properly installed.  Need an alignment?  We'll take care of that, too.

So, stop in at South Star Chrysler and ask about tire and alignment services. We think you'll find we're a good fit.  And don't forget: manufacturer recommended vehicle maintenance typically includes tire rotation and wheel alignment.