Waking up to a flat tire in your garage is enough to cause a bad day, but having a tire blow out on a freeway in inclement weather is a recipe for disaster. You can reduce the likelihood of such a situation by replacing your car tires as needed. Several simple tests that take less than 10 minutes can help you to determine whether you need to get new tires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends you conduct these tire tests monthly.
Park your car. Wait at least three hours for the tires to cool down.
Visually inspect the tires. Stand at the rear of car and look for any metal in the tire. Look for bubbles and cracks, as these indicate a new tire is needed.
Kneel down next to the tires. Remove the tire valve cap. Use the gauge to check tire pressure. Low tire pressure shows you need more air in your tire. It may also indicate a slow leak and the need to replace the tire.
Run your hands over the tire tread to feel if there is debris or other items caught in the tread. Look for uneven wear patterns. These are indications that you require a new tire.
Place a Lincoln penny into the tire tread with the top of Lincoln's head facing down. If the tread is not deep enough to reach the top of Lincoln's hair, your tread is too thin and you need a new tire.
