Read a Good Tire Lately? (Tire Wear)
July 27, 2025
There's lots of good information to read in books and online. You might not know that you can also "read" your tires and learn a lot about what shape they're in and if they are in need of attention. It's important to know how your tires are doing because a tire failure can be very dangerous to you, your passengers and others on the road near you.
You read your tire by looking at the surface that rides on the road, where the tread is. Check out the outer and inner edges. If you notice there's more wear on the inner or outer edge than on the rest of the tread, your vehicle could be out of alignment. Wear on an inner or outer edge could mean your wheels are leaning too much to one side. When you see this, visit our service center soon to have the alignment checked.
What about if both edges are worn? That could be a sign that you don't have enough air in that tire. In an underinflated tire, the middle is not contacting the road surface as much as the edges, so the edges wear down first. It could also mean that you're taking corners too aggressively or your tires haven't been rotated on a regular schedule.
Another thing you might see on your tires' tread area is wear in the center of the tire. That means you likely have too much air in that tire. Too much air makes your tire contact the road in the middle more than on the edges so the middle wears down prematurely.
You might also see some smooth spots on the tread in irregular spots. This is called cupping. This is sometimes caused by suspension problems. A technician can examine your suspension to see if it is up to the manufacturer's specifications.
Finally, you may spot tires that are worn unevenly in a pattern that goes diagonal to the tread pattern. This could mean your tires are out of balance, something our service center can check. They might also check alignment at the same time.
Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that contacts the road surface. That means your acceleration, traction, steering and braking are all dependent on your tires being healthy. Maintain your tires by having one of our trained technicians read the clues and making sure they're always in roadworthy shape.
Spartan Tire Brighton
4880 Old U.S. 23
Brighton, MI 48114
8102277377
Need Service?
More articles from Spartan Tire Brighton

Keep It Rolling Right
October 23, 2026
Keeping your tires rotated regularly is one of the simplest yet most important maintenance services you can perform on your vehicle. It is where each tire is moved to a different position: front to back, side to side. That rotation helps to ensure your tires wear evenly, which directly impacts sa... More

Why is My Vehicle Overheating?
October 11, 2026
When it comes to your vehicle overheating, the signs can be loud and clear when you have a problem. You may see a thermometer-shaped warning light come on or a temperature gauge whose needle is pointing in the red zone. When either of those happen, its important to take quick action to avoid se... More

Straight Steering Starts Here
October 4, 2026
Wheel alignment is one of those maintenance items you probably dont notice until something doesnt feel quite right. But alignment plays a major role in how safely and smoothly your vehicle handles. If your wheels arent all pointed in the right direction, everything from steering response to tire ... More
