Before a long drive, you can check your tire tread and tire pressure at home in just a few minutes. A quick inspection can help you spot low pressure, uneven wear, damage and other problems before they become a roadside emergency.
If you want to know how to check tire tread at home, start by checking the tread across the entire tire, looking at the wear bars and using a penny as a quick visual check. Then check the air pressure with a gauge while the tires are cold. Always use the pressure listed on the vehicle's door placard or owner's manual, not the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall.
Quick Answer
To check your tires before a road trip, inspect the tread in several places, look for wear bars, cracks, bulges and objects stuck in the tire, then measure air pressure when the tires are cold. Use the pressure on your driver's door placard or owner's manual. Check all four tires and the spare if your vehicle has one.
How to Check Tire Tread Before a Road Trip
You do not need a tire shop for a basic visual tread inspection. Park on level ground, make sure you have enough light, and inspect every tire rather than checking only the one that looks easiest to reach.
NHTSA recommends checking tire condition and tire pressure as part of preparing for summer driving and road trips. It also advises using the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure shown on the vehicle placard or owner's manual.
Read NHTSA's summer driving and road trip safety tips .
Step-by-step tire tread check
- Park the vehicle on level ground.
- Let the tires cool before checking pressure.
- Find the tire-pressure placard on the driver's door jamb.
- Inspect the tread across its full width.
- Use a penny as a quick tread-depth check.
- Look for the raised tread-wear indicators inside the grooves.
- Inspect both sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
- Look for nails, screws or other objects stuck in the tread.
- Repeat the inspection on all four tires.
- Check the spare tire if your vehicle has one.
How to Check Tire Tread With a Penny
The penny test can be used as a quick visual screening method. Place a penny into several tread grooves with Lincoln's head facing downward.
If you can see the top of Lincoln's head consistently, the tire may have very little remaining tread and should be inspected more carefully.
The penny test is only a quick check. It does not replace a proper tread depth measurement or a professional inspection when the tire looks damaged or worn unevenly.
Do Not Check Only One Spot
Measure or inspect several grooves across the tire and in more than one location around the tire. A tire can have acceptable tread in the center while the inside or outside edge is badly worn.
How Do I Know If My Tires Are Too Worn?
Look for tread that is approaching the wear indicators, unusually shallow tread, uneven wear, cracks, exposed cords or other visible damage.
How to tell if tires are too worn is not only about tread depth. The overall condition of the tire matters too.
- Tread is worn close to the wear bars.
- One part of the tread is much more worn than another.
- The sidewall has a bulge or bubble.
- You can see deep cracks or exposed cords.
- The tire repeatedly loses air.
- The vehicle develops unusual vibration or pulling.
If you see a bulge, exposed cord or serious structural damage, do not rely on a tread check alone. Have the tire inspected by a qualified professional before a long trip.
What Tire Pressure Should I Use Before a Road Trip?
Use the recommended cold tire pressure on the driver's door placard or in the owner's manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall as your normal target.
The sidewall number describes a maximum pressure associated with the tire. Your vehicle manufacturer may specify a different pressure for the vehicle's tires and load conditions.
Check NHTSA's official tire safety guidance .
How to Check Tire Pressure When Tires Are Cold
Cold tires have not been driven long enough to heat the air inside them. Checking pressure after the car has been sitting is therefore preferable when you want a reading that matches the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation.
- Park the car and let it sit before measuring.
- Remove the valve cap.
- Press the tire gauge firmly onto the valve stem.
- Read the pressure.
- Compare it with the door-placard recommendation.
- Add or release air as appropriate.
- Replace the valve cap.
- Repeat on every tire.
Michelin also recommends checking tire pressure before a long trip and measuring it when the tires are cold.
Read Michelin's tire pressure guide .
What Tire Pressure Should I Use in Hot Weather?
Hot weather and driving can raise the pressure reading because the air inside the tire becomes warmer. That does not mean you should deliberately underinflate a tire in the morning.
Set the pressure according to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended cold-pressure specification. If you check the tires after driving, the reading can be temporarily higher.
Hot-Weather Rule
Do not adjust your normal cold tire-pressure target based only on a hot reading. Use the vehicle placard or owner's manual as the reference and check the tires cold whenever practical.
How to Check for Uneven Tire Wear
Look at the entire width of the tread rather than only the center. Different wear patterns can point to different problems.
- Center wear: may be associated with overinflation.
- Both edge wear: may be associated with prolonged underinflation.
- One edge worn heavily: may indicate an alignment issue.
- Cupping or scalloping: can indicate a wheel, suspension or balance problem.
- One tire wearing much faster: may indicate a mechanical or pressure problem.
These patterns are clues, not a diagnosis. If the wear is severe or unusual, have the vehicle inspected by a qualified tire or automotive professional.
Why Is One Tire Wearing Faster Than the Others?
A single tire that repeatedly wears faster can have a pressure problem, slow leak, alignment issue, suspension problem, wheel issue or another mechanical cause.
Check the tire pressure first, then look for visible damage or objects in the tread. If the pressure is correct but the wear continues, a professional inspection can help identify the underlying problem.
How to Spot a Tire Bulge, Crack or Sidewall Damage
Inspect the sidewall from multiple angles. Look for bubbles, bulges, deep cracks, cuts, exposed material or other deformation.
A tire bulge can indicate damage to the tire's internal structure. Do not treat a significant sidewall bulge as a cosmetic issue, especially before a long highway trip.
If you find serious structural damage, have the tire evaluated by a qualified tire professional before driving any substantial distance.
Do Not Forget the Spare Tire
The spare can sit unused for months, which makes it easy to forget. Check its pressure and visible condition before a road trip.
A flat spare is not useful when you have a puncture on the highway. If your vehicle has a temporary spare, also check the instructions printed on the tire or vehicle documentation for its proper use.
Road Trip Reminder
Check the spare before the trip, not after you have already had a flat. Also make sure you know where the jack, lug wrench and other required equipment are stored.
What to Do If One Tire Keeps Losing Air
If one tire is repeatedly lower than the others, do not simply keep adding air without finding the cause.
A slow leak can come from a nail or screw, valve-stem problem, wheel issue, bead leak or tire damage. Marking the pressure and checking it again after the vehicle sits can help confirm whether the tire is losing air.
If pressure continues to drop, have the tire inspected by a qualified professional before a long trip.
Road Trip Tire Checklist
- Check tire pressure when tires are cold.
- Use the driver's door placard or owner's manual.
- Inspect tread across its full width.
- Use a penny as a quick tread screening check.
- Look for tread-wear indicators.
- Check for cracks, bulges and cuts.
- Look for nails, screws or other objects.
- Check for uneven or unusual wear.
- Inspect all four tires.
- Check the spare tire and emergency equipment.
Common Tire-Checking Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the tire sidewall pressure
The maximum pressure printed on the sidewall is not necessarily the recommended pressure for your vehicle. Use the driver's door placard or owner's manual instead.
Mistake 2: Checking pressure after driving
Driving heats the tires and can change the pressure reading. Check cold tires whenever practical.
Mistake 3: Looking only at the center of the tread
Edge wear can reveal problems that are invisible when you inspect only the middle of the tire.
Mistake 4: Ignoring the spare
A spare that has been sitting unused can still be underinflated or damaged.
Mistake 5: Treating visible damage as a minor problem
A bulge, exposed cord or significant sidewall damage deserves professional attention before a long trip.
When Should a Tire Professional Inspect the Car?
A basic home inspection is useful, but some problems require professional equipment and experience.
Get the vehicle inspected before a road trip if you notice:
- A sidewall bulge or bubble
- Exposed cords
- Severe cracking
- Repeated pressure loss
- Severe uneven wear
- Persistent vibration
- The vehicle pulling to one side
- A tire that appears structurally damaged
If the problem suggests an alignment, suspension or wheel issue, changing the tire alone may not solve the underlying cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my tire tread at home?
Park on level ground and inspect the tread across the entire tire. Use a penny as a quick visual check, look for tread-wear indicators and inspect the sidewalls for cracks, cuts and bulges. Check several locations rather than one spot.
How do I check tire tread before a road trip?
Inspect all four tires for tread wear, uneven patterns, nails, cracks and sidewall damage. Then check cold tire pressure using the vehicle's recommended pressure. Do not forget the spare if your vehicle has one.
What tire pressure should I use before a road trip?
Use the cold tire pressure listed on the driver's door placard or in the owner's manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall as the normal target.
What tire pressure should I use in hot weather?
Continue to use the vehicle manufacturer's recommended cold pressure. Heat from weather and driving can increase the pressure reading, so check the tires cold whenever practical.
How do I know if my tires need replacing?
Look for tread approaching the wear indicators, significant uneven wear, cracks, bulges, exposed cords or repeated pressure loss. A professional inspection is appropriate when you are unsure about a tire's condition.
How can I tell if my tire has uneven wear?
Compare the inner edge, center and outer edge of the tread and inspect several locations around the tire. One area that is substantially more worn than another can indicate pressure, alignment, suspension or other issues.
Why is one tire losing air faster than the others?
A slow leak, puncture, valve-stem problem, wheel issue or tire damage can cause one tire to lose air. If it repeatedly becomes low, have it inspected rather than continually adding air.
Should I check my spare tire before a road trip?
Yes. Check the spare's pressure and visible condition, and make sure the jack and lug wrench are accessible. A spare that is flat when you need it cannot help with a roadside tire problem.
Can I check tire pressure at home?
Yes. A basic tire-pressure gauge is enough for a home check. Measure the tires when cold and compare the readings with the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure.
What should I do if I find a tire bulge?
Do not treat a significant sidewall bulge as normal wear. Have the tire inspected by a qualified professional before taking a long trip.
Final Takeaway
A 10-minute tire check before a road trip can reveal low pressure, uneven wear, tread problems and visible damage before you are miles from home.
Check the tread across the whole tire, use the vehicle's recommended cold pressure, inspect the sidewalls, look for unusual wear and remember the spare. If you find a bulge, exposed cord, serious cracking, repeated air loss or another structural problem, get professional help before driving long distance.
For more practical vehicle maintenance and road-trip preparation guides, explore more Vehicle Care & DIY Maintenance Checklist tips .
Editorial Note: Tire condition, tread requirements, vehicle specifications and safety guidance can vary by vehicle and jurisdiction. Use your vehicle's manufacturer's recommendations and consult a qualified tire professional when you find significant damage or are unsure about a tire's condition.
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