Tire Maintenance

You should be checking the status of your car’s tires once a month. This will help them last longer and potentially help you avoid more serious issues. Your monthly check should include looking for the following:

• Bulges, tears, cuts, or cracks in the rubber — as well as foreign objects that may have punctured the tires
• Air pressure for each tire is at the proper PSI, as noted by the owner’s manual
• Tire tread is at an acceptable depth

To check the tread depth of your vehicle’s tires, you can use a tire tread depth gauge or a Canadian nickel. Using the gauge, you’ll want to insert the tool in the grooves of each tire in four different spots to get an accurate read. If the tread depth is 5/32” or more, you don’t need to do anything. If it’s between 3/32”-4/32”, consider replacing them soon. If the tread if 2/32” or less, you should replace the tires immediately.

In addition to handling your own tire maintenance, it’s vital that you get the tires rotated and aligned at Downtown Toyota. Rotating the tires helps them wear evenly, as they are moved from front to back and left to right. An alignment has more to do with adjusting the suspension, but it helps the tires perform optimally and prevents them from wearing down as quickly.

As mentioned previously, if the tread depth of your car’s tires is exceptionally low — at 2/32” or less — you should replace the tires immediately. The same can be said for tires with any imperfections like tears or punctures.

With standard safe driving habits and consistent check-ups, many all-season tires can last between 3-5 years. However, keep in mind that if you take corners extra sharp or find yourself slamming on the brakes a lot, this causes the rubber to wear down significantly on the tires. When you bring your vehicle to our Service Department, we will check the tires and alert you if any action needs to be taken.

In milder climates, it’s perfectly fine to use all-season tires year-round. However, we experience some intense weather in Toronto during the winter. With temperatures reaching as low as -20° C, you should consider purchasing a set of winter tires to keep yourself safer.

Winter tires are made from a special compound of rubber that has improved traction on ice, snow, and slush than standard all-season tires. Additionally, winter tires have design elements called sipes that collect moisture so that the part of the tire that is touching the ground is drier.

You’ll also save money down the road by switching to winter tires. When you’re using the winter tires in harsh weather, the all-season tires are getting a break and can last longer as a result. Just be sure that you’re storing your tires properly when they are not being used.

It’s incredibly easy to find tires for your Toyota vehicle, thanks to our easy-to-use Tire Centre widget! All you have to do is enter your vehicle information (Year, Model, and Trim) or search by the tire size you desire. We offer a wide selection of all-season and winter tires that you can order online and have installed by our team at our Service Centre.