Roll Smoothly and Ride Safely: Why Tire Rotations Matter

While multiple components enable our vehicles to get us from point A to point B, the tires are the only ones that maintain constant contact with the road. Because of that, most mechanics and service stations remind drivers to rotate their tires periodically.

In addition to extending the life of the tires, regular tire rotations help improve traction, handling, and on-road safety, all of which reduce the risk of traffic accidents.

To appreciate how much so, we need only look at data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It revealed that tire failure, which includes failure caused by uneven tread wear and other damage caused by failing to rotate one's tires, is responsible for an estimated 11,000 traffic accidents annually.

The same data also notes that around 562 people lost their lives in tire-related traffic accidents in 2022. Considering the nominal cost, tire rotations are more than worth the investment.

What Drivers Should Know About Tire Rotations

Before delving into what drivers should know about tire rotations, let's take a moment to better familiarize ourselves with what they are.

As the name likely implies, a tire rotation is an aspect of vehicle maintenance that entails moving the tires from one position to another. But unlike tune-ups, oil changes, new brakes, and the like, tire rotations are the one aspect of vehicle maintenance that many drivers overlook, consider unnecessary, or believe is too expensive.

Contrary to popular belief, tire rotations are not overly costly. According to a Kelley Blue Book (KBB) study, the average tire rotation costs between $60 and $72. With the recommended balancing of each wheel, the cost can climb to between $112 and $132, according to most service stations and several leading tire manufacturers, such as Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, and Michelin.

How Regular Tire Rotations Help Save Drivers Money

Whether it's a car, truck, or SUV, having to buy a set of new tires can set even the most well-heeled vehicle owners back financially. To appreciate how much so, we need only look at a study from NerdWallet, a leading and trusted personal finance company.

It revealed that, depending on the type, manufacturer, and quality, a new set of tires can cost $460 to $1,280. And that's just the cost of the tires alone. Installation and related alignment, disposal of old tires, new valve stems, and so on could incur additional charges.

Regular tire rotations allow vehicle owners to put off tire and tire-related expenses for much longer than they otherwise could. Most mechanics and service stations recommend rotating a vehicle's tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles.

Signs that might suggest a car, truck, or SUV is overdue for a tire rotation include the following:

• A noticeable decrease in fuel efficiency

• An uneven or faster-than-usual tread wear on tires

• Cupping or blistering of the tire's sidewall

• Vibrations in the steering wheel, floorboard, or seat while driving

What Causes Uneven Tire Wear?

Two common contributors to uneven tire wear are overinflated and under-inflated tires. When tires are overinflated, they will, over time, show more wear in the center than the edges. The opposite is the case for underinflated tires. The outer edges typically wear out faster than the center.

Both scenarios eventually culminate in vehicle owners having to replace their tires sooner than they otherwise would. Forgoing tire rotations further hasten the need to purchase new tires.

Alignment problems can also cause uneven tire wear, which can be made even worse by not rotating the tires on one's vehicle. When the alignment is off, vehicles will pull to the left or the right, which prevents tires from maintaining proper contact with the road surface.

That, in return, results in certain parts of the tire wearing out faster than others. Poor driving habits, such as making abrupt turns, lane changes, accelerating too quickly, or braking too hard, can also lead to irregular tire wear.

Other contributors include the following:

• Bent or damaged wheels

• Improper tire size

• Unbalanced wheels or tires

Correcting the problems that cause uneven tire wear and making it a point to rotate your tires as recommended can significantly improve tire and vehicle performance, increase the lifespan of your tires, and so much more.

How Regular Tire Rotations Make Driving Safer

Something that doesn't get as much attention as it probably should is how regular tire rotations make driving safer. When all four tires on a vehicle have a similar tread depth, they respond more predictably to steering input and do a better job of maintaining stability during turns and sudden lane changes. Braking performance also improves.

Studies show that a healthy, even amount of tread depth on tires lowers the distance it takes for a vehicle to come to a stop. That's because they achieve better traction and grip the road more effectively when the vehicle's brakes are applied.

Tire Rotation Patterns That Help Minimize Premature Tire Wear

Whether you're a first-time vehicle owner or someone who has never had their tires rotated, you should know that there are several kinds of tire rotation patterns.

The right one largely depends on the type of vehicle you own, but as long as all tires are the same size and not unidirectional, each can extend the life of your tires, keep you and your passengers safe while on the road, improve fuel efficiency, and more.

According to the Tire Industry Association, an international non-profit organization that represents all aspects of the tire industry, the following are the types of tire rotation patterns offered at most car dealerships and chain and independent vehicle service stations:

• Rotation pattern for front-drive vehicles - This pattern is the most common, and it involves moving the front tires to the rear position on the same side and moving the rear tires to the opposite front corner of the vehicle.

• Rotation pattern for rear-drive vehicles - This tire rotation pattern is similar to the one recommended for front-drive vehicles but reversed. It involves moving the rear tires to the front and each front tire to the opposite rear corner.

• Rotation pattern for all-wheel-drive vehicles - This not-so-common rotation pattern involves crisscrossing all four tires. That means moving the right front tires to the left rear, the left front to the right rear, the left rear to the right front, and, finally, moving the right rear to the left front to achieve even wear on all tires.

Are Tire Rotations Necessary for All-Wheel Drive Vehicles?

If you own an all-wheel-drive vehicle and think regular tire rotations are unnecessary, you couldn't be more wrong. All-wheel-drive systems on most trucks and SUVs don't always drive all four wheels all the time, and that's because the transfer case and electronically-controlled differentials in these vehicles routinely shift power between the front and rear wheels based on driving conditions.

That means the tires on these vehicles are just as prone to uneven wear as any other vehicle if drivers don't rotate their tires.

Schedule a Tire Rotation Today

Having your tires regularly rotated is a cost-effective way to not only extend the lifespan of your tires but also improve fuel efficiency, enhance overall vehicle handling, and reduce the risk of accidents caused by tire-related issues.