Know your tires. Drive with confidence.
Clear answers for choosing tires, understanding the estimate and caring for the set you drive on.
Written by Discount Tire & Service CentersSources cited in every guide
Maintenance
Pick a topic, or start with the one that matches what you are seeing.
- Tire care and rotation: a practical routineBuild a simple pressure, tread and rotation routine, with your vehicle's maintenance schedule as the starting point.Read the guide
- When should you have wheel alignment checked?Understand pulling, uneven wear and the difference between alignment and balancing before asking for an inspection.Read the guide
Signs it is time for a visit
Each one has a guide, and each one is worth a look at your store.
A tire-pressure warning light
Check with a gauge first, and know when a flashing light means a system fault.Pulling or an off-center wheel
Changes in how the car steers are a reason to have the alignment checked.A nail or a slow leak
Whether a tire can be repaired depends on where the damage is and what is inside.Uneven tread wear
Wear on one edge can point to alignment or pressure; a routine keeps it even.
A five-minute monthly tire check
What the guides recommend, in the order you would do it.
Step 1: Check pressure cold
Use a gauge and the pressure on your driver’s door label, not the number on the sidewall.
Step 2: Look at the whole tread
Check the depth across the tread and look at the sidewalls for cuts or bulges.
Step 3: Write it down
A short record of pressure, rotations and repairs makes changes easy to spot.
Step 4: Have it checked
If something is off, book an inspection and the store will tell you what they find.
Not sure what you are seeing? Have it checked
An inspection is the right first step when something feels different but you do not know which service to ask for.
- Tell the advisor what you noticed
- They look it over and explain what they find and what can wait
- Any work is quoted first, and only done with your approval
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Quick answers
Every answer comes from one of the guides above, with its sources.
Is the number after R the tire height?
No. It is the wheel diameter in inches. In 225/60R17, the tire fits a 17-inch wheel.
Is the California tire fee the same as disposal?
No. The California tire fee is a government charge on applicable new tires. Disposal is a separate service charge and is included in this site's mandatory installed-price package.
Should every car rotate tires at 5,000 miles?
No. Follow the vehicle's recommended interval and pattern first. USTMA's 5,000–8,000-mile guidance applies when no interval is specified.
Is wheel balancing the same as alignment?
No. Balancing addresses the rotating wheel-and-tire assembly; alignment concerns wheel angles relative to the vehicle manufacturer's specifications.
Can a sidewall puncture be patched?
Not under USTMA passenger/light-truck puncture-repair procedures. The repairable area is limited to the tread, and shoulder/belt-edge injuries are excluded.
The light went out after driving. Can I ignore it?
No. Check pressure with a gauge when the tires are cold and use the vehicle's recommended pressure. Warming can raise pressure above the warning threshold without correcting the underlying issue.
Questions a guide cannot answer?
Book a visit at your store’s earliest open time, or call and ask.
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