How can you tell if your winter tires are still in good condition?
Tire-changing season is fast approaching, but before putting last winter's tires back on your vehicle, it's important to check whether they're still in good shape! Because even the best tire model won't protect you if it's too worn out, and you could find yourself in a tricky situation.
That said, unless you're racing, you usually don't need to replace them every year either! So how do you figure it out? We'll explain everything!
Decoding the Clues
First of all, the maximum lifespan of a tire is generally around five years, according to the SAAQ. Beyond that limit, it starts to lose its qualities. To find out when your tires were made, you'll need to put on your detective hat and decode a hidden clue! On every tire, a "DOT" code is printed on the side, and it tells you the date: if it reads DOT 3521, your tire was manufactured in the 35th week of 2021.
Our Friend the Caribou
As we mentioned earlier, age alone isn't enough: plenty of other factors can wear down your tires well before their official expiry date. To find out whether your tires are too worn, you just need to measure the depth of the tread. If your grooves are too worn, your tires will struggle to channel water away and provide the traction you need for driving that's both enjoyable and safe.
To avoid fines and other unpleasant surprises, a tire's tread must be at least 1.6 mm or, if you prefer, 1/16 of an inch. But as we know, the legal minimum isn't always a great measure for staying safe: that's why CAA-Québec recommends a tread depth greater than 4.8 mm, or 3/16 of an inch, to maintain optimal traction in any situation.
Okay, 4.8 mm, but what does the caribou have to do with any of this? Well, it's the insider trick for easily measuring your tread depth: take a 25-cent coin and point the caribou's face downward so it touches the surface of the tire groove. If you can see the tip of the caribou's nose, it's time for a change!
Even Simpler…
Of course, you can head straight to one of our specialists, who can check your tire wear for you and, if needed, recommend a new set of "shoes" for your vehicle to give you the best possible driving experience.