Your tire size is printed on the sidewall as a code like width, aspect ratio and wheel diameter, and it is repeated on a placard inside the driver's door. Give that size to Cincinnati Auto Repair in Cincinnati, OH when you call (513) 666-5717, so tire availability can be confirmed before you drive over.
Read the sidewall before you pick up the phone. It carries the size, a load index and a speed rating, and a shop can only check availability with the full size in hand.
The door-jamb placard gives the size and the inflation pressure the manufacturer wants. That pressure is the number to use, not the maximum molded into the tire.
Can a punctured tire be repaired?
Often, if the puncture is in the tread area, not too large, and the tire has not been driven flat. A proper repair is made from inside the tire with a patch and plug combination, which means the tire comes off the wheel. A plug pushed in from outside is a roadside stopgap.
A puncture or bulge in the sidewall cannot be repaired, because that part of the tire flexes constantly.
How do I know the tires are due for replacement?
Look for the wear bars, small raised ridges in the grooves. When the tread is level with them, the tire is finished. Cracks between the tread blocks or on the sidewall matter too, and so does age: a four-digit date code on the sidewall gives the week and year of manufacture, and rubber hardens with time even when the tread looks fine.
Wear in one pattern tells a story. Both edges worn means low pressure, the center worn means too much, and one shoulder worn points to an alignment problem that new tires will not cure.
What causes a vibration at highway speed?
Most often a wheel that is out of balance, which a rebalance fixes. A bent wheel or a tire with an internal belt problem causes the same shake. Ask the shop to check the wheel for runout if balancing doesn't solve it.
- Ask whether the quote includes mounting, balancing, valve stems and disposal of the old tires.
- Rotation moves wear around; it does not repair uneven wear that has already started.
Do I have to replace all four tires?
Not always, but tires on the same axle should match, and an all-wheel-drive vehicle can be sensitive to tread-depth differences between axles. Check your owner's manual and ask before you buy a single tire.
What tire size should I call with?
The full code from the sidewall, plus your vehicle's year, make and model. Call (513) 666-5717 and the details can be matched to what is available.