Tires are the first line of defense for necessary traction to keep your vehicle moving. Although they may look like the sturdiest parts of the car, they are also prone to wear and tear like any other frequently used car parts.
Car tires will wear down at different rates throughout their lifespan due to their position on the road and their total usage. Due to this, having your tires rotated regularly has become a quick and cost-effective solution. Learn cost to have tires rotated.
You may ask: how many miles for tire rotation? or how long does it take to rotate tires? the short answers to the questions are: about 3,000-8,000 miles and 15 minutes only.
Tire rotation is simply the process of switching the front with the rear tires of your vehicle. Rotating the tires will ensure that each tire receives even wear and tear regardless of its position on the car.
With a tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in vehicles, rotating tires has become a bit more complicated. So, how do you rotate tires with TPMS? Keep reading, and this article will guide you through how to make it happen.
The Short Answer
Rotating tires with TPMS involves proper knowledge about how the TPMS unit works. You can learn more about the system by reading the user’s manual. The manual will help you understand how to rotate your tires without compromising the TPMS sensors successfully.
Once you remove your tires, you can decide how the rotation should occur according to the status of each tire. Be mindful to check to see if your sensors are working, or reset your TPMS unit to ensure its functionality.
The Benefits of Tire Rotation
For many years, tire rotation has saved car owners from buying and changing tires sooner than necessary. Rotating your tires has many benefits, such as:
- It helps prevent uneven wear on your tires. Every time you turn your steering wheel, the front tires take more of a beating and wear down faster than the rear tires. To maintain even wear patterns, you need to replace your tires in a specific order so that the front tires are not as old as the back ones.
Read more: How To Rotate Tires On A Front Wheel Drive Car
- It prevents irregular tread wear as well as reducing cupping. When you mix tires of different ages, they are more likely to wear unevenly, possibly increasing the chance of cupping. With regular rotation, you can prevent this from happening.
- It improves fuel economy and reduces emissions. To avoid uneven wear patterns on your tires, you need to replace them in a specific order. By doing so, your tires will have similar tread patterns, thereby reducing fuel consumption and cutting down on tire air pressure fluctuations, which lead to unnecessary strain on your engine during acceleration.
- It prevents balance issues and improves wheel handling. Without corresponding tire sizes, wheels will not balance, leading to tire noise when they get mounted on the car’s rims.
- It extends the life of your tires. Removing the tires from your vehicle gives them a chance to dry out before you put them back into service. Any moisture trapped inside the tire may cause it to wear out prematurely. With regular rotation, you can avoid this from happening.
While tire rotation can be simple, it has become more complicated due to the presence of TPMS.
What is TPMS?
Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are one of the features that manufacturers install on your car to help you better maintain it. Whenever you need to switch the tires or want to check your tire pressure readings, the TPMS will first detect whether or not the tire has correct inflation by checking the sensors.
When the tire is rotating, these sensors will measure pressure throughout its entire surface area. If the system detects a problem with a tire’s pressure, it will alert you via a flashing message on the dashboard using its tire monitoring system. This way, it can help ensure that you are not driving on improperly inflated tires and will keep your car safe for both you and anyone else who shares the road with you.
How Does TPMS Affect Tire Rotation?
Although it may seem that tire rotation and a TPMS are two different processes, They are interconnected. The presence of a TPMS is what causes tire rotation to become more complicated.
Since sensors fit on every tire, they make it hard for drivers to rotate their tires. A single TPMS unit will not sense any change after rotation using its built-in sensors. Even if you perform the process, both of your newly replaced tires will be inactive until your old and new tires reach an equivalent amount of wear.
If you have tires equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), you will need a tool to activate it and follow a particular process when rotating your tires.
How Do You Rotate Your Tires with TPMS?
- Consider the nature of your TPMS. The first step here is finding out whether or not the TPMS on your car can be disabled. There are many different kinds of TPM systems available today, so you will need to figure out which one your vehicle has in order to proceed with the rest of the job. It’s always best to seek help from car professionals.
- Carefully remove the tires while keeping the sensors intact. If you want to rotate your tires with your TPMS, carefully remove the tires so as to maintain the sensors. The sensors connect to the valve stem. If possible, use a jack and a jack stand so you can safely set your car on the ground without causing any damage. Learn how to rotate tires with a jack stand.
- Decide on how to rotate your tires. Position the tires according to recommended placement. You can use the following as a guide to position your four wheels: Front Left – Rear Right and Front Right – Rear Left or Front Left – Rear Left and Front Right – Rear Right.
- Align and reset the TPMS sensors after reinstalling the tires. Make sure the sensors are intact and working correctly by running tests. The sensors of the TPMS will need to recalibrate after changing the position of your tires. Calibrate the sensors according to the instructions in the manual about how to reset the TPMS unit. Resetting the unit usually involves the use of scan tools, which all knowledgeable technicians should operate.
Rotating your tires with TPMS is possible with proper knowledge and guidance. However, it’s still advisable to consult experts who have the right tools and expertise to keep your cars in running condition.
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