What Exactly is a Tire Rotation?

Your tires are a significant investment, so it really pays to get the most use out of them before they need replacing. If your tires develop patches of uneven wear, they'll need replacing before the end of their lifespan. Rotating your tires can help to avoid uneven wear.

If you've got a front-wheel drive vehicle, those front tires receive significantly more wear than the back tires. Over time, you would find yourself needing to replace those front tires while the rear set still looked relatively good. If you change the position of your tires regularly, they can wear down at the same rate, allowing you to get full use of the set and avoid flats or blowouts. The rear tires come forward during rotation while the front tires move to the rear. Tires can even swap to opposite sides of the car rather than going straight forward or back.

While tire rotation can seem a little bit like musical chairs for tires, there's actually a method to the seeming randomness. Most owner's manuals list a specific rotation configuration for that vehicle model. The same engineers who designed the vehicle decide the pattern, considering the suggested tire type and whether it's a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive transmission. This attention to detail on the part of the engineers when imparting advice to owners is another indication of just how important rotations are for Volvo owners.

Can You Skip a Rotation?

Rotations certainly aren't a one-size-fits-all sort of service. If you're using your Volvo SUV for towing, you're placing an entirely different level of demand on your vehicle than someone who drives their sedan just a few days a week, and your tire care will reflect that usage. It's not advisable to skip tire rotations entirely, even if you're telecommuting and only use your vehicle for the occasional errand. Cars driven only a handful of days per month are still susceptible to uneven tire wear, but you won't be scheduling a rotation as often as the driver of a Volvo that gets heavy daily use. You might even find that skipping rotations voids your warranty.

How to Know When it's Time for a Rotation

Most drivers go by the general rule of thumb of rotating tires every six months. If you put a lot of miles on your vehicle, it might be better to schedule a rotation every 6,000 miles. You'll want to watch out for signs of unusual wear by checking your tires every now and then as part of your basic car care. You'll notice the outer edges of the tire growing smooth while the inside tread looks deeper. You may also notice a vibration or shimmying while driving.

Visit Us for Your Next Tire Rotation

At Borton Volvo Cars, our technicians are experts in Volvo care and certified for a full range of maintenance tasks. We also offer replacement parts sourced right from Volvo, so you'll feel assured of leaving with a vehicle restored to its former quality level each time you visit. We'll work with you to come up with the proper tire rotation schedule for the way you use your Volvo. Schedule your next rotation with us to see why visiting our Golden Valley, MN dealership is the right choice for your vehicle's tire care.