TPMS & Tread Depth
Checking your vehicle’s tire pressure around Winchester, VA is quick and easy since most new vehicles have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which uses tire pressure sensors to track the air pressure of your tire. If your vehicle’s tires are under-inflated, you’ll receive a notification from the TPMS warning light to add air. TPMS makes it easy to prevent tire failure and promote proper vehicle handling when traveling around Hagerstown, MD.
Learn more about TPMS & tread depth courtesy of the tire center team at CMA's Chevrolet of Martinsburg.
Healthy tires are properly inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendation, have adequate tread, and are free of any punctures, bulges, cracks, or other damage.
So, when you inspect your Chevrolet’s tires, you’ll want to account for:
Having properly inflated tires ensures better stability, more traction, even wear, and less possibility of a blowout for your Chevrolet. Good thing checking your tire pressure is quick and easy! All you need is a tire pressure gauge, your vehicle’s owner’s manual, and an air compressor which can be found at most gas stations.
To start, check the owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommended psi. Then, unscrew the air valve cap and press your gauge to get a reading of each tire’s current psi. If your pressure is too low, then fill it using an air compressor until it matches the recommended psi.
Remember, always check your pressure when your tires are ‘cold’ or rested at least 3 hours. If they’re hot or recently driven on, then adjust the proper pressure to 4psi above the recommended cold inflation pressure. Recheck them later when they’re cold to make sure they’re right.
What is the Recommended Tire Tread Depth?
Maintaining the proper TPMS & tread depth is important to driving safely around Berkeley Springs, WV. When you purchase a new set of tires, they’ll typically have a tread depth of about 10/32 or 11/32 of an inch (about a third of an inch). Winter tires and tires designed for off-roading purposes, as well as some truck and SUV tires have deeper tread grooves.
How do you know when it’s time to replace your tires? According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, you should replace your tires when their tread depth is measuring at 2/32 of an inch.
How to Check Tire Tread Depth: Use a Penny!
While a ruler is the most accurate way to measure tire tread depth, a penny will suffice! The design on the U.S. penny makes it a perfect–and convenient–tool for measuring tire wear. Follow these steps to check the tread depth on your tires:
- Insert the penny with Lincoln head-first into a tire tread groove.
- Check if Lincoln’s head is covered and no longer visible between the grooves.
- If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tire treads are 2/32 inches deep or less and it’s time to replace them.
- Repeat this process on all four tires and in multiple lo
- cations on each tire.
Do you have additional questions about your vehicle’s TPMS & tread depth that haven’t been covered in this article? Be sure to reach out and contact the team at CMA's Chevrolet of Martinsburg. Schedule service for your next tire rotation or replacement near Charles Town, WV. We can also help find the best tires for your Chevrolet vehicle thanks to our online tire finder tool.
Contact our team at CMA Chevrolet of Martinsburg if you have any questions or need to schedule a service appointment. We hope you found this article helpful!