How Often Should You Rotate Your Car’s Tires?

Wondering how often you should rotate your tires? In general, while there’s no specific answer for how many miles to rotate tires, it’s generally accepted by most automotive professionals that you should rotate your tires somewhere in the neighborhood of every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. Of course, when to rotate tires in your particular situation will invariably be different than others because of your unique driving style, the type of tires your vehicle has equipped, and more. Keep reading for additional information or contact us!

Rotating Tires on FWD or RWD Vehicles

Cars equipped with front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive (both types of 2WD) require a different tire rotation process than cars equipped with AWD. What are FWD and RWD? They’re types of drivetrains, which essentially do the job of sending power from your vehicle’s engine to its wheels. So for FWD cars, power is sent only to the front wheels. For RWD vehicles, power is sent only to the rear wheels.

Here’s a handy guide to when to rotate tires on 2WD vehicles, as well as how to perform this maintenance procedure:

• How often should you rotate tires on a FWD or RWD (AKA 2WD) vehicle? Every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. But — here’s the caveat — you should make sure to check your vehicle’s manual first for exact figures.
• Looking to perform a DIY tire rotation? While we always recommend getting your tires rotated at a service center like ours, if you have a little bit of automotive maintenance experience, performing a tire rotation yourself shouldn’t be too hard. That said, you should keep in mind that you should flip sides when you rotate your rear tires (i.e. the rear right tire will go to the left front and vice versa. But, the front tires will move straight back to the same side).
• Looking to perform a tire rotation on a RWD vehicle? You will want to invert the above process. In other words, you’ll want to move the rear tires straight and flip the front tires when you rotate them.
• Remember: driving habits will have an effect on how often you’ll need to rotate your tires. That means, if you do any type of racing, commercial driving, or similar, your tire rotation intervals will be less than they otherwise might be.

AWD Tire Rotation Tips

Asking yourself, “how often should I rotate my tires with AWD?” We’re here to provide answers! Generally, when to rotate tires on AWD vehicles will be more often than on RWD or FWD vehicles. That’s because each tire on an AWD vehicle wears differently and at different speeds compared to each other tire. Accordingly, you’ll want to rotate your tires on an AWD vehicle roughly every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

Be sure to check your owner’s manual for more specific guidelines pertaining to your vehicle on when to rotate your tires. Not sure when the last time you had your tires rotated was? It’s probably best to schedule service at our -certified service center near Oshkosh today to book your next tire rotation appointment!

Why Should You Rotate Your Tires?

You now have a better idea of how often to rotate your tires and how to perform this process on RWD and AWD vehicles. But do you know why it’s important to rotate your tires? This procedure is important because it helps provide you with some of the following:

• Less noise on the road
• Improved traction on slippery roads
• Relieves unnecessary stress on the drivetrain

Looking for more advice on how to rotate tires, how many miles to rotate tires, or how to fix a flat or know when it’s time for new tires? Rely on our service center for further assistance and answers to all your tire-related questions!

Holiday Automotive is Here to Help You With All Your Service Needs

Ready to learn more? We’re happy to help! Contact our service experts for additional service tips, or visit our Fond du Lac location today for further assistance!