How do you know if your Mazda needs new winter tires?
October 19 2022,
Your winter tires are a critical safety component of your Mazda. They ensure that you can have the best possible experience and complete peace of mind on the road when the weather outside gets cold and the snow starts to fall. Moreover, they ensure that you get the very best performance from the i-ACTIV AWD system your Mazda likely features.
As we get closer to winter, you may be wondering if your winter tires are still in good condition to face the difficult roads that are waiting in the next few months. The following article should help!
The first thing you should check is tread depth
The tread depth of your winter tires is what determines their effectiveness. Your winter tires have to have a tread depth of 4.8 mm at a minimum to guarantee their effectiveness for the entire winter season. Anything less than that when you have them installed means that they will likely need to be replaced before the end of the year which isn't something anyone wants to do. Starting the season with less than 4.8 mm of tread depth means that your tires will likely have less than 4.0 mm of tread depth in a few months which is ultimately dangerous.
It therefore all comes down to measuring the tread depth. To do so, you can use a special tool, or you can even use a quarter by putting the nose of the caribou down into the groove. If you still see the nose of the caribou, chances are you should replace your winter tires. You can also check to see if the wear indicator is still visible on your tires.
Measuring tread depth is one thing, but there are other things you can consider in determining if you want to replace your winter tires or not.
Tread depth definitely tells a long story about the condition of your winter tires, but how they behaved at the end of last winter is just as compelling. If you didn't feel confident last winter and you didn't like how your Mazda handled in certain turns or if it had trouble going up small hills or getting out of snowbanks, you can certainly replace your winter tires and enjoy the confidence that comes with a brand-new set of winter tires.
Lastly, winter tires can still lose their effectiveness even if their tread depth is more than 4.8 mm if they are old. After about 30,000 km, most winter tires will no longer be effective. If you had your winter tires for three or four seasons, now might be a good time to have them replaced.
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