Tire service is one of the most important service types we perform on vehicles here at Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield. In this article, we’ll go into detail on the signs tires need service, the types of tire service, how long each type of tire service takes, the importance of those services, and how you can cover their costs.
There are many signs that reveal a need for tire service. You should take these signs very seriously, as ignoring them when they appear can lead to catastrophic tire failure. This causes around 11,000 vehicle crashes and 200 deaths per year in the United States, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, a federal agency that’s part of the United States Department of Transportation. You should tow your vehicle in for service as soon as you see these signs rather than risk the drive yourself. Signs you should look out for include the following:
This is the most common sign that a tire is headed for failure but one of the few that doesn’t require a tow to the dealership. You should replace tires that have worn down to their tire wear bars. If the tires don’t have wear bars, you should replace them when their treads reach a depth of 2/32 inches. Most states officially label tires at or below this tread depth unsafe and have their officers ticket accordingly, so don’t wait too long to get new tires.
You should also rotate or replace tire sets with uneven treads as soon as possible. Your service pro will know whether the uneven wear patterns reveal a need for rotation or replacement.
All tires on American roads today have at least two primary layers: the thick treaded outer layer and the inner air tube. Heat, impact, and other factors can damage the outer layer, and this damage tends to appear in the form of tears in the rubber, blistered rubber, and bulging rubber. Tears are usually caused by impact, blisters by temperature, and bulges by problems with the air tube.
The sidewall is the part of the tire that doesn’t meet the road. It features information such as tire and wheel measurements, part number, brand, and type. A tire isn’t safe to drive on when the treads are fine but the sidewall isn’t. The sidewall supports the treaded part of the tire, so a compromised sidewall can lead to tire collapse.
Common luxury tire services include wheel alignment, tire rotation, pressure checking and balancing, tread and sidewall integrity testing, tread checking, tire repair, and tire replacement. You should get a wheel alignment done every 6,000 miles or every other oil change, whichever comes first. You should also get the tires rotated every 5,000 miles. Technicians will check the treads and sidewalls during every type of tire service, and you should check these every month. You should check the tire pressures once every two weeks to a month and early in the morning so that daytime temperatures don’t skew the results.
You may not always need to replace your car’s tires when they’re damaged. Technicians may be able to fix minor exterior damage and replace the inner air tubes when compromised. However, you should replace your car’s tires every six years to every decade, depending on the vehicle and tire type.
Off-road tires commonly found on four-by-four or four-wheel-drive vehicles wear out more quickly than standard highway tires, so you need to replace them more often. They’re also damaged more often during regular use, so you should check them before and after each off-road adventure. High-performance tires, usually found on coupes, special edition sedans, and other luxury-tier vehicles, also wear out more quickly, so it’s important to understand about the following tire types:
Tire types include the off-road and high-performance versions mentioned above, all-season tires, and tires specifically designed to handle hotter and colder than average climates. Each tire type most commonly presents damage in different ways. Winter and summer tires are more commonly damaged by heat extremes they aren’t designed for. High-performance and off-road tires are more often damaged by increased frequency or heaviness of use.
All-season tires are the most common type and fail most often due to under-inflation or over-inflation. Tire measurements vary from 15 inches to 18 inches on average, but larger tires are often available, especially on luxury, sport, off-road, and heavy-duty work vehicles. It’s always safest to have matching tire measurements on all four tires.
Tire rotations and wheel alignments take half an hour to 45 minutes each to complete. Tire pressure checking and balancing take between 45 minutes and two hours to complete. Tread and tire integrity checks tend to take only a few minutes to complete. Tire repair time varies based on the repair method used. Plug repairs take just a few minutes to complete, while patches take 20 minutes to half an hour. You should replace tires that have been repaired more than once.
Tire replacement takes around 45 minutes for a full set. It’s extremely important that all four tires are identical and that you rotate them regularly to even out tread wear. Mismatching tires and uneven tread wear patterns compromise a vehicle’s road safety by reducing their ability to maintain traction regularly and continuously.
Financing tire services and replacements is simple at Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield. Contact us, and we’ll gladly fill you in on the possibilities related to tire service and replacement financing. Keep in mind that financing may not be available for all tire service types or tire sets. We offer a range of service specials, including those related to tire service and replacement, so keep an eye out to maximize your savings.
The team here at Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield, California, can help you with all these tire services and more. Come and see us at 2950 Auto Mall Parkway when the time comes for your Mercedes-Benz to have its tires serviced, repaired, or replaced. You can schedule service online or by calling us at (707) 430-0102.
