What Causes Tires to Wear Unevenly?

Flat Tire

 

Tire tread wear can tell you a lot about your vehicle, but only if you understand what causes tire tread wear. Inflation pressure and tire alignment can play important roles, but there are other factors to keep in mind. Just for starters, even normal driving in a mechanically sound vehicle can cause your tires to wear down at different rates; regular tire rotation is designed to counteract this tendency.

Service Center Schedule Service

However, if you’re noticing extreme differences in tire wear, you’ll definitely want our service team to investigate. Read on to get a sense of what to expect, and schedule service today.

Why Tire Wear Matters

It might seem obvious, but your tires are the only part of the vehicle that actually makes contact with the road! If they’re uneven or inflated to different levels, your traction will not be as good as it could be. Additionally, certain types of accelerated tire wear can reveal a lot about your vehicle’s mechanical behavior on the roads of Phoenix and Gilbert.

Tire Tread Wear: Know the Causes

All tires wear down eventually, but they won’t necessarily wear down at the same rate. In fact, even wear is more the exception than the norm. Here’s what you should know:

  • Regular Driving: Your drivetrain might send power to either the front or the rear of the vehicle, and the receiving tires will wear down more quickly than those on the other axle. This uneven wear is countered by regular tire rotation, which should be scheduled at least once or twice per year.
  • Misaligned Wheels: If your wheels are misaligned, you’ll need to work harder to keep yourself on the right path. As a result, you might notice that the misaligned tires are wearing down more quickly than those with the correct orientation. Ask about wheel alignment and balancing at your next appointment.
  • Inflation Pressure: Having too much or too little air in your tires can result in uneven tire tread wear. Low pressure causes more of your tire’s surface area to make contact with the road, so you should always keep your tires at the proper level if you want them to last as long as possible. Overinflation causes the center of the tire to wear down more quickly than the sides.

Five Types of Uneven Tire Wear

If you’re willing to get up-close and personal with your tires, you might be able to deduce deeper issues from the presence of uneven tire wear. Here’s what to look for:

  1. Excess wear on the outer edges is a clear sign of low tire pressure
  2. Excess center wear is indicative of an overinflated tire. If there are large flat spots on the center of your tire, this may also be the result of excessive emergency braking.
  3. Feathered wear—which moves from light wear to heavier wear in a diagonal motion across the tire—is indicative of improper alignment. Improper alignment may also be indicated by increased wear on the tire’s outer or inner edge.
  4. Cupping wear—wear that looks like small circles or scoops—is generally caused by a wheel that bounces while you drive. This wear is caused by problems with your suspension system, so it should be dealt with as quickly as possible.
  5. Uneven wear between the front tires and the back, or vice versa, is usually caused by normal driving. As noted above, the tires that receive power from the drivetrain tend to wear down more quickly than the supporting tires.

Jaguar Service in Chandler

If you’ve noticed that you’re dealing with significant uneven tire wear, drive in from Chandler or Tempe to let our service experts take a look! We’ve made it easy to schedule service; just make sure to check out our current specials before you stop in.

Our Service Specials

Filter Pack: Save $25

when purchasing engine oil filter, engine air filter, and cabin air filter

Plus tax, if applicable. No cash value. Not valid with any other
offers. Jaguar vehicles only. Coupon valid at vehicle check-in.
Void where prohibited by law. Excludes stand alone oil
changes and tires. See dealer for other important details.

FREE Pad Wear Sensor

when purchasing brake pads and rotors

Plus tax, if applicable. No cash value. Not valid with any other
offers. Jaguar vehicles only. Coupon valid at vehicle check-in.
Void where prohibited by law. Excludes stand alone oil
changes and tires. See dealer for other important details.

15% off ALL Jaguar Branded Merchandise

 

Plus tax, if applicable. No cash value. Not valid with any other
offers. Jaguar vehicles only. Coupon valid at vehicle check-in.
Void where prohibited by law. Excludes stand alone oil
changes and tires. See dealer for other important details.

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