How Often Do You Need a Tire Rotation?

How often you should rotate your tires can depend significantly on driving habits, mileage, model type, size, and condition. With a Hyundai, you will follow the brand's maintenance schedule, which includes when to rotate your tires. We'll dive into this in the post below. The best thing you can do to keep your car running smoothly for longer is to stay up to date with maintenance, so that's one thing to keep in mind. Stick around, and let's figure out how often should you rotate your tires!

What Is a Tire Rotation?

A tire rotation is when a technician lifts your Hyundai and moves the tires from one position to another to help them wear evenly. You can compare this to slightly rearranging furniture in your home to make it look better in the space. You reposition the tire to a new direction to keep wear from being uneven between appointments.

Tire Rotation Process

The tire rotation process is pretty straightforward. You will either follow these steps or observe them performed by a professional working on your Hyundai:

• Loosen the lug nuts
• Lift the vehicle
• Remove and reinstall tires
• Lower the vehicle

Again, a typical tire rotation appointment should take ~15-30 minutes, so this is not overly complicated.

Common Tire Rotation Patterns

The most common tire rotation patterns include a forward cross pattern (front-wheel drive models), side-to-side (used for vehicles where the front and rear tires are different sizes), rearward cross (used for 4-wheel, all-wheel, or rear-wheel drive cars), and the X-pattern (used for front-wheel drive vehicles such as sedans and lightweight trucks). You also have front-to-back rotations that can be applied to any directional tires.

How Often Should You Rotate Your Tires?

You should schedule a tire rotation every six months or 5,000 miles. The standard is between 5,000 and 7,500 miles, although this can vary depending on driving habits and tire age/condition.

General Recommendation

Our general tire rotation recommendation is to schedule an appointment with your local Hyundai dealer every six months. This will total twice yearly and should prevent uneven tire wear or damage while on the road.

Hyundai-Specific Guidelines

How often should you rotate your tires according to Hyundai? Hyundai recommends the following schedules:

• Front-wheel drive (FWD) and rear-wheel drive (RWD): Rotate tires every 5,000-7,500 miles
• All-wheel drive (AWD): Rotate tires every 3,000-5,000 miles

Tip: AWD Hyundai nameplates tend to need more frequent tire rotation appointments.

Why Is Tire Rotation Important?

Tire rotation is important for your car, truck, or SUV because it helps keep your car's tires at the same wear level throughout the year. Moreover, routine tire rotations improve your handling and safety on the road in all conditions. You can even see a bit of fuel savings by following Hyundai standards, which never hurts.

Even Tire Wear

Even tire wear is the most apparent benefit of following 6- and 12-month tire rotations with your dealer. When your tires wear evenly, you can expect better performance from them, which is a must in bad weather.

Improved Handling and Safety

The more you rotate your tires, the better your car's handling and safety will be. If you follow Hyundai guidelines (every ~5,000 miles), your vehicle's response time will improve greatly when you're trying to stop, change lanes, slow down, and so forth.

Enhanced Fuel Efficiency

It goes without saying that the better you maintain your tires through rotation appointments, the less work your car and its engine have to do each time you drive. That equals better fuel efficiency/more MPGs, which saves you money.

Signs You May Need a Tire Rotation

There are various signs and symptoms that can also help show how often you should rotate your tires. Typically, your Hyundai will start to perform less well than usual. You might experience uneven tire tread or balding between tires, a vehicle pulling to one side, vibrations at the gas/brake pedal and steering, and decreased fuel economy from your car, truck, or SUV.

Uneven Tread Wear

Scheduling a routine tire rotation helps to prevent uneven tread and tire wear. Therefore, skipping them will mean higher risks of balding, popping, and damage. It is worth mentioning that per the NHTSA, when the tread depth is worn down to 2/32 of an inch or less, it is considered unsafe to drive on.

Vehicle Pulling to One Side

If you notice your Hyundai pulling to one side or veering while you are steering it, this could be because its tires are unevenly worn down. This will make braking harder and become a safety risk.

Vibrations While Driving

One thing to watch for if you think it's time for a tire rotation is vibrations at the steering wheel and brake pedal. If you feel strange vibrations or sensations, it is time to call your neighborhood service team here at Colonial Hyundai of New London, CT.

How Tire Rotation Differs for FWD, RWD, and AWD Vehicles

Tire rotations will be a bit different depending on your Hyundai's drivetrain. As we covered above, various techniques and rotation patterns exist for all configurations. Here's a recap:

• Front-wheel drive: Use a forward cross pattern
• Rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive: Use a rearward cross pattern
• Different tire sizes: Use a side-to-side pattern
• Directional tires: Use a front-to-back pattern

Can You Rotate Your Tires at Home?

Yes! If you have the right tools and experience level, you are welcome to try rotating your tires at home. However, most people prefer a dealership or service center for maintenance, as that ensures things are done properly every time.

Required tools: car jack, lug nut wrench, and jack stands

Tire Rotation as Part of Routine Maintenance

When it comes to how often you should rotate your tires, this becomes an essential part of yearly maintenance. As we shared above, Hyundai recommends having a tire rotation twice a year, or every 5,000-7,500 miles (non-AWD), and between 3,500 and 5,000 miles for AWD configurations.

Schedule Service at Colonial Hyundai

Now that this post is complete, it is time to bring your Hyundai to the friendly service team at Colonial Hyundai of New London, CT. We're here to help with tire rotations and get you started with routine upkeep for your car, truck, or SUV. Remember, the better you maintain a vehicle, the better and longer it will drive, so this is key!