When tires fail, they generally seem to go without warning. However, there are ways to spot a problematic tire before it actually blows up on you. Our auto body shop in Seattle advises that you periodically check your tires to spot the following warning signs of an impending flat:
- Cracks in the sidewalls.
- Uneven wear in the treads. This can point to uneven inflation, bad wheel alignment, bad suspension, or damage to the tires.
- Excessive wear in the treads. Your tire probably has an indicator bar running across the tread that becomes visible when it goes beyond the minimum allowable depth of one sixteenth of an inch.
- Bulges or blisters in the tire.
- Vibration. If your tires are vibrating excessively while you drive, you may have a misaligned or unbalanced wheel or internal tire damage.