Car Talk: Spotting Symptoms of Unbalanced Tires

One of the biggest steps towards full autonomy is learning about things that are, while not the most exciting, crucial to your daily life. Women are encouraged to learn far less about cars from the get go due to socialization and a male-dominated industry. However knowing the basics can increase the longevity and health of your vehicle, save you a ton of money, and give you confidence both on the road and at the dealership or mechanic. A good bet is to start with the basics, such as oil changes, tire-changing, and tire wear.

A vehicle’s tires put up with significant stress during use, and multiple things can make them less efficient. One aspect that often goes overlooked is the weight distribution between tires. The common symptoms of unbalanced tires can easily be attributed to something else due to the perceived insignificance of weight discrepancies, but even a difference of half an ounce can lead to unbalanced tires.

Uneven Tire Wear

The most common symptom of unbalanced tires is uneven tread wear. Because of the different weights on each tire, they are subjected to various pressures that wear them down at different rates. This uneven wear can contribute further to the weight discrepancies between tires, as more rubber is worn off one than the other.

Vibrations

The vibrations you feel will vary depending on the level of wear on your tires, but initially, you will feel vibrations coming from your steering wheel. These vibrations will progress for as long as your unbalanced tires go unaddressed. Eventually, you will feel the vibrations throughout your vehicle’s entire cabin.

Bad Fuel Economy

The worse the imbalance is, the more significant the tire wear will be. This uneven distribution of pressure strains a vehicle’s engine due to the increased resistance on one tire. This strain will decrease your fuel economy so that your engine uses up more gas than if it had balanced tires.

Common Causes

Air Pressure

The most likely culprit may be a difference in tire pressure. If one tire is significantly more deflated than the other, that could account for the difference in weight. Always keep your tires filled evenly to avoid mismatched tire tread wear.

Calipers

The second major cause is due to faulty brake calipers as a result of a worn-down braking system. Know how calipers can affect tire balance to avoid them harming your vehicle in the future.

Bumps in The Road

Running over potholes or taking speed bumps too quickly can knock off pieces and components from the underside of your vehicle. While these may seem insignificant, remember that a difference of just half an ounce has the potential to throw tires off balance.

Immediate Service

Don’t wait to have your tires serviced when noticing the signs of unbalanced tires. The longer you wait, the more significant the damage will become. Acting fast can prevent some of the more expensive repair costs and save a ton of money and time. Because really, no one loves spending time at the mechanics, right?