Honda Tire
Center at Steve Hopkins Honda
Maintaining Your Tires
It is absolutely essential to maintain your Honda tires, as they ensure that your car runs smoothly. Your tires
help the vehicle place power on the ground with the grips making sure that your Honda can hold firmly onto the
road.
Working with a Honda service professional at Steve Hopkins Honda is key to tire maintenance, as he or she will be
familiar with all of the tire options. A Honda service advisor can talk to you about your driving style and then
work to suggest a tire based on that information and the Fairfield weather. After having your tires installed,
you will still need to keep up with regular maintenance and care.
The life span of your tires can be drastically affected in many ways. Your driving style, tire pressure, wheel
alignment and routine tire rotations are some of the most common factors to consider as you continue to drive
your Honda vehicle. Learn more from the information below on how you can limit the amount of treadwear that is
caused by daily driving. If you are in need of a new set of tires, simply view our tire store and schedule a
service appointment!
Buy Tires For Your Honda
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Tire Balance
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What is tire balancing?
Tire balancing equally distributes the weight of the tire and wheel
assembly to spin smoothly at high speed.
Tires can become out of balance with normal tire wear. All four tires and
wheels may be balanced during a tire rotation and when new tires are installed.
Special equipment spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure vibrations
and the technician installs wheel weights as needed to eliminate the vibrations.
What if I ignore it?
- Excessive tire wear
- Irregular tire wear such as cupping
- Steering and suspension component wear
- Vibration
What if I take care of it?
- Maximize tire wear and ride quality
- Prolong tire life
- Minimize vibration
Tire Condition / Tread Depth
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What is tire condition & tread depth?
Monitoring normal tread wear helps plan for future tire replacement. Uneven
or irregular tread wear can indicate problems with tire pressure, wheel alignment, tire balance, or
lack of rotation. New tire tread depths typically begin with 9/32" to 12/32" of tread. Make sure
your tires' tread depths are sufficient for road and weather conditions.
What if I ignore it?
- Loss of braking effectiveness, steering control, and traction in wet weather
- Increased braking distances
- Increased risk of hydroplaning
- Low tread depth restricts water, slush and snow from escaping between tire tread and the road.
This can promote hydroplaning and reduce traction on wet and wintry roads.
- Minimum tread depth recommended for vehicles likely to encounter listed condition:
- Snow=5/32"
- Rain=4/32"
- Dry=2/32"
- Tread depth under 2/32" may violate applicable law.
What if I take care of it?
- Increase safety performance
- Provide a more enjoyable ride
- Help ensure your vehicle meets its original load and speed rating specifications
- Match the physical dimensions, internal construction, tread design, and tread compound of the
original tires
- Help achieve performance characteristics originally intended for your vehicle
What are the benefits of Original Equipment (OE) Tires?
Original Equipment (OE) Tires:
- Developed by Honda engineers who work closely with the original equipment tire manufacturer to
develop a tire that optimizes all the performance attributes of your vehicle
- Undergo an exclusive Honda development process with testing to ensure the same level of
performance
- Extensively tested in the lab, on the track, and on the road to ensure that the tires provide
the right balance of performance, comfort, wear, and fuel efficiency
- Help your vehicle attain the original performance characteristics to maintain the enjoyment
you've had with your Honda since day one
- Are the only tires Honda recommends for your vehicle
Non OE Tire Options:
- May share some characteristics of the original tires, but because of the number of variable
design characteristics, they may perform differently, potentially altering the ride comfort,
interior noise, wear rate, fuel efficiency, steering feel, snow traction, and wet and dry
handling and braking performance you may be accustomed to
- May be available from us at Steve Hopkins Honda, but can vary in certain specifications from
your vehicle's original tires
- Although we recommend that you help retain your vehicle's original performance characteristics
by choosing OE specified tires, you may have other needs that could be met with another tire
that was not tested by or developed in conjunction with Honda
What service your vehicle at Steve Hopkins Honda?
Honda authorized tires purchased at Steve Hopkins Honda come with 24 months
of road hazard coverage. Ask us for specific Road Hazard Program terms and conditions.
Tire Pressure
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What is tire pressure?
Properly inflated tires provide the best combination of handling, tread
life, and comfort. The air pressure inside the tires supports the weight of the vehicle. Tire
pressure is the inflation pressure specification, measured in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI), for a
given tire type, size, and application.
The cold tire inflation pressure, PSI, is on the Tire Information Label
located on the driver's side door jamb.
Because tires can lose 1 to 2 PSI of tire pressure per month, tire
pressures must be checked regularly.
What if I ignore it?
- Underinflation, or low tire pressure, can cause premature wear, irregular tread wear, and
decreased fuel efficiency
- Underinflation adversely affects handling
- Underinflation may lead to tire failure
- Overinflated tires make your vehicle ride harshly, are more prone to road hazards, and wear
unevenly
What if I take care of it?
- Prolong tire life
- Increase fuel efficiency
- Improve ride characteristics, handling, and comfort
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
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What is TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)?
Since 2008, every Honda has been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) that monitors the pressure in all four tires and alerts the driver if pressure in any
tire becomes significantly low. Drivers should also regularly check their tires' pressure using an
accurate gauge.
Some Honda TPMS systems have battery powered sensors inside the wheels.
Batteries inside these sensors have an expected lifespan of 7 - 10 years. When a battery in any
sensor fails, an indicator on the instrument panel comes on and the system will no longer monitor
the tire pressure.
What if I ignore it?
- You could inadvertently drive on a significantly under-inflated tire, which could cause the tire
to overheat and then unexpectedly fail/blow out
- Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's
handling and stopping ability
What if I take care of it?
- Prolong tire life
- Increase fuel efficiency
- Improve ride characteristics, handling, and comfort
What are the benefits of Honda's Genuine TPMS?
Honda Genuine Parts are engineered and rigorously tested to meet original
quality fit and performance specifications of your Honda and are also designed to operate in harmony
with the other Honda Genuine Parts already installed on your vehicle.
Tire Rotation
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What is Tire Rotation?
During tire rotation, at the time of service, the tire and wheel assemblies
are moved from one position to another to more evenly distribute wear and maximize tire life. The
rotation pattern depends on the vehicle and tire design. Because the front tires turn and pull the
vehicle forward, front tires wear differently than rear tires.
Tire rotation is regular maintenance that should be performed as
recommended and is required to maintain the tire's warranty coverage. (Consult the tire
manufacturer's warranty booklet provided with the vehicle for more details.)
What if I ignore it?
- Increased likelihood of irregular or uneven tire wear
- Increased tire wear and more frequent replacement
- Premature wear can increase road noise
What if I take care of it?
- Prolong tire life
- Help ensure your vehicle's optimal handling with more even tire wear
- Avoid road noise caused by premature or irregular wear
Wheel Alignment
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What is wheel alignment?
A wheel alignment is the adjustment of angles that the tires make in
relation to the road surface and each other. The primary alignment angles are camber, caster, and
toe.
A wheel alignment is often performed after replacing tires or suspension
components, after an impact with a pothole or curb, or when the following conditions occur: abnormal
tire wear, an offset steering wheel, or handling concerns (drifting, pulling, wandering, darting).
Technicians measure alignment angles using sophisticated equipment, then
adjust or possibly replace suspension components as needed to set alignment to original Honda
specifications.
What if I ignore it?
- Increased or irregular tire wear and more frequent tire replacement
- Vehicle may drift, wander, pull, or dart
What if I take care of it?
- Prolong tire life
- Helps optimize your vehicle's handling based on original Honda specifications
- Reduces steering effort
How Often Should You Change your Car Tires?
Every time that you drive, your tires undergo additional wear
and tear. This means that you will have to replace them several times over the course of your Honda's
lifespan. Never put off replacing your tires, as this can endanger your safety. Different tire types
will last for varying amounts of time, and their durability also depends on your driving habits. As
such, you need to regularly check them for wear.
You will know that you definitely have to change your tires if they begin to get worn down past 1/16 inches of
tread. You can easily test this yourself with any penny. Place it between the treads with Lincoln's head down.
If you see the entire head, you need to get your tire replaced. Don't forget to monitor how your Honda reacts
while driving. If you notice an unusual amount of vibration, you should have your tires looked at by a
professional.
Why Get New Tires?
Whenever you have your Honda's tires replaced, you will notice a few great things. Your tread will be better able
to grip the surface of the road, improving your safety. You also improve your vehicle's efficiency and
performance since it no longer has to work as hard. In other words, changing your tires saves you money over
time on fuel.
If you want to learn more about Honda tire maintenance or are due to replace your tires, head to the service center at Steve Hopkins Honda in Fairfield.
