To keep your tires sleek and responsive, Dunlop experts at Tire & Service Network locations can provide helpful tire-care tips. Browse by section below, or print the full list of self-care tips.

• Tire Care

  

  Tire Care

  • 

  To give your car a high-end look and feel, consult this list of tire-care suggestions. For a professional evaluation, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location.

  Visual Inspection

  Inspecting your tires can help you reveal punctures or other visible signs of damage that could necessitate replacement.

  Repairs

  It's crucial to know when a tire should be repaired and when it should be replaced.

  • If a tire loses air pressure, it should be removed for an internal inspection.
  • Even driving short distances on a flat tire can ruin it.
  • Most punctures, nail holes, or cuts up to 1/4 inch can be repaired if the damage is confined to the tread.
  • Never repair any sidewall punctures.
  • Never repair any tread punctures larger than 1/4 inch, and DO NOT repair tires worn below 1/16 inch.

  Balance & Alignment

  Having your tires balanced and your vehicle properly aligned is important for tire longevity and vehicle performance. As tires wear, their mass can get unevenly distributed, and the original rim/tire balance may be affected. Some things to keep in mind:

  • Unbalanced tires cause road vibration, which can lead to driver fatigue, premature tire wear (also known as cupping or dipping), and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension
  • Tires should be balanced whenever they're mounted on wheels
  • They should be rebalanced at the first sign of a vibration or shimmy, and once a year

• Preparing For a Flat Tire

  

  Preparing For a Flat Tire

  • 

  Having the necessary items will help you change a flat as soon as the need arises, minimizing potential damage to your tires. Review the list below for what to keep in your vehicle. For professional assistance, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location.

  Make sure you always have:

  • Your vehicle's owner's manual
  • An inflated spare tire
  • A jack
  • A lug wrench
  • Bracing material, such as a small piece of wood or a brick

• Tire Tread

  

  Tire Tread

  • 

  It's recommended that you check your tire tread every 3,000 miles. Below are two simple tests to see if your tires need to be replaced. For a professional evaluation, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location.

  Take the Penny Test:

  Insert a penny into your tire's tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace your tires.

  Check the Tread Wear

  Check the indicator bar located at the bottoms of the tread grooves in several locations around the tire. When a tire is so worn that these bars become visibly flush with the adjacent tread ribs, replace it.

  To avoid potential problems, have your tires checked at a Tire & Service Network location if you notice any of these common wear patterns:

  • Wear on both edges: UNDERINFLATION
    Underinflation increases the tread wear on a tire's outside edges and generates excessive heat, reducing the tire's toughness. Soft tires also increase rolling resistance, reducing fuel economy.
  • Wear in center: OVERINFLATION
    Overinflation increases wear on the center tread.
  • Cups or dips in the tread: WORN PARTS
    Cupping or dipping is most common on front tires, but rear tires can cup as well.
  • Sawtooth edges: MISALIGNMENT
    Misalignment causes erratic scrubbing against the road, giving the tire's edges a sawtooth-like appearance.

• Pressure And Inflation

  

  Pressure And Inflation

  • 

  Find out why maintaining proper air pressure, and knowing how much air to put in tires, is so important by reading the points below. For a professional evaluation, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location.

  Checking Your Tire Inflation Pressure

  • To find the proper air pressure for your tires, look in your vehicle's owner's manual, on the sticker on the driver's side doorjamb, or in the glove box.
  • Always maintain inflation pressure at the level recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
  • For safety and vehicle performance, Dunlop recommends that tire inflation pressure be checked at least monthly and as often as possible when tires are cold (ideally, the vehicle should not been driven for several hours).
  • Repeat or excessive inflation loss (more than 2 psi), or visible damage like knots, bulges, punctures, cuts, or cracks, along with irregular wear, experiencing impacts, vibration, and pulling all require expert inspection of the tire and rim to determine reparability, or replacement.
  • Inflation pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change, so higher temperatures mean increased pressure.

  Why Pressure and Inflation Are so Important for Your Tires

  • Underinflation increases tread wear on the outer edges, and generates excessive heat, which can age tires faster.
  • Fuel economy is reduced as rolling resistance increases - soft tires make your vehicle work harder.
  • Too much air pressure causes the center tread to carry most of the car's weight, leading to faster deterioration and uneven wear.
  • Underinflation is the most common cause of failures in any type of tire, which can result in severe cracking, component separation, or a "blowout."
  • When operating a vehicle equipped with radial tires, it's difficult to notice when a tire has gone flat or near flat since the "feel" of the vehicle does not change significantly.
  • Inflation pressure in tires supplies a clamping force, which creates friction, enabling it to act as a proper spring between the rim and the road.
  • Driving on damaged tires should be avoided, as they can fail suddenly or burst upon re-inflation, resulting in serious injury.

• Saving Fuel

  

  Saving Fuel

  • 

  To help you conserve money and resources, review this quick reference about saving fuel. For professional assistance, visit a Tire & Service Network location.

  Improve My Gas Mileage

  • Replacing a clogged air filter can improve a vehicle's gas mileage by 10 percent.²
  • Using the grade of motor oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer can improve gas mileage by 1% to 2%.³
  • Regular vehicle maintenance can improve gas mileage by 4.1%.⁴

  The recommendations and suggestions regarding product application and use that are offered on this Site are a guide in the use of this product and are not a guarantee to their performance. All listed products are or have been manufactured by Dunlop or one of its affiliate companies. This Site in no way constitutes an offer to sell any products. Dunlop makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the product information contained on this Site is correct. Product specifications and all other information shown on this Site are for information purposes only, are subject to change at any time without obligation, may vary from region to region, and may not be completely up to date or accurate.

  Help My Tires Last Longer

  • Check your tire pressure (including your spare) monthly - follow the recommendations on your vehicle door sticker or vehicle's owner's manual.
  • Inspect your tires once a month for uneven tread wear, cuts, cracks, bulges, foreign objects, or other wear or damage.
  • Have your tires rotated and the balance checked every 6,000 miles. (Check your vehicle's owner's manual for specifics.)

  Save Money at the Gas Pump

  • Excess weight can reduce gas mileage by 1-2% for every 100 pounds, so travel light.
  • Close the cap - 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year from vehicles without gas caps.
  • Avoid fast starts - aggressive acceleration can reduce gas mileage by 33%.⁴

  ² "For Summer Driving Tips, Goodyear Offers a Suitcase Full of Smart Travel Advice"
  ³ U.S. Department of Energy
  ⁴ "Gas Saving Tips for Memorial Day Weekend Driving," carcarenewsservice.com

• Wear & Tear

  

  Wear & Tear

  • 

  To help maintain even tread wear and prolong tire life, review this quick reference about alignment, rotation, and visual inspections. For a professional evaluation, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location.

  Misalignment of the front or rear wheels can cause rapid or uneven wear. Front-wheel-drive vehicles and those with independent rear suspension require alignment of all four wheels, instead of two. Getting your alignment checked as specified in your vehicle's owner's manual is the recommended way to prolong tire life.⁴

  Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating your tires. Consult your vehicle's owner's manual or ask a Dunlop expert at a Tire & Service Network location for the appropriate rotation pattern for your vehicle. If your tires show uneven wear, visit the Tire & Service Network to check for and correct any misalignment, imbalance, or other mechanical problem involved before rotation.⁴

  A tire's tread directly affects how it grips the road, so it's important to regularly inspect it visually for signs of uneven wear. These signs can include high or low areas, or unusually smooth ones.⁴

  ⁴ "Be Tire Smart," The Rubber Manufacturers Association.