maintenance intervals, oil changes, and tire rotations. In particular, note
the following tips for spotting tire damage:
•After striking anything unusual in the roadway, have a qualified tire
service professional demount the tire and inspect it for damage. A tire
may not have visible signs of damage on the tire surface. Yet, the tire
may suddenly fail without warning, a day, a week, or even months
later.
• Inspect your tires for cuts, cracks, splits or bruises in the tread and
sidewall areas. Bumps or bulges may indicate a separation within the
tire body. Have your tire inspected by a qualified tire service profes-
sional. It may be necessary to have it removed from the wheel for a
complete inspection.
• Inspect your tires for adequate tread depth. When the tire is worn to
the built-in indicators at 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less tread groove depth,
or the tire cord or fabric is exposed, the tire is dangerously worn and
must be replaced immediately.
• Inspect your tires for uneven wear. Wear on one side of the tread or flat
spots in the tread may indicate a problem with the tire or vehicle.
Consult a qualified tire service professional.
• Inspect your wheels also. If you have a bent or cracked wheel, it must
be replaced.
• Don’t forget to check the spare tire.
Make sure your tires, including the spare tire, continue to be regularly
inspected after 5 years of service to determine if they can continue in
service. Even when your tires appear to be usable from their external
appearance or the tread depth may have not reached the minimum wear
out depth, it is recommended that all tires (including spare tires and
“temporary use” spares) more than 10 years old be replaced with new
tires.
The 10 year period after the date of production is not an indicator of
actual service life for any individual tire. Some tires will need to be
replaced before 10 years due to conditions such as punctures, impact
damage, improper inflation, overloading, tread wear or other conditions
involving use or misuse of the tire. If a tire is worn out or otherwise
unserviceable from damage or conditions of use, it should be replaced
regardless of when it was produced or placed in service.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
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