Are Your Winter Tires Ready for the Season? What to Check Before Winter Driving

As temperatures begin to drop, getting your vehicle ready for winter means more than changing your tires. Before the first major snowfall, it is worth taking a closer look at your winter tires to make sure they are still appropriate for the season ahead.

Winter tires are designed to maintain traction in cold conditions, snow, and ice. However, even a good set of winter tires can lose effectiveness as they age or wear. Checking tread depth, tire age, visible damage, and uneven wear before installation can help you determine whether your tires are ready for another Ontario winter.

Not sure what condition your tires are in? The Islington Chrysler Tire Centre can inspect your tires and help determine whether your current set is ready for the road ahead.

How Do I Know If My Winter Tires Are Still Good?

The best way to determine whether your winter tires are ready for another season is to inspect four key areas:

Tread depth

Tire age

Visible damage

Uneven or abnormal wear

A tire may still look usable at first glance but have reduced winter performance because of wear, age, or damage.

How Much Tread Should Winter Tires Have?

Tread depth is one of the most important things to check before winter.

As a tire wears, it loses its ability to provide traction. Transport Canada recommends at least 4 mm of tread depth for winter driving and advises against using winter tires that are worn close to this level on snow-covered roads.

Ontario's legal minimum for most passenger vehicle tires is considerably lower, at 1.5 mm, but the legal minimum is not the same as the amount of tread recommended for winter performance.

How can I check my winter tire tread?

Look at the grooves across the tire tread and locate the built-in tread-wear indicators. These raised bars run across the grooves and indicate when a tire has reached its minimum allowable tread depth.

However, don't wait until the wear indicators are level with the tread before considering your winter tires. For winter conditions, having sufficient tread above the legal minimum is important for maintaining traction.

A professional inspection can measure the tread depth accurately and determine whether your tires have enough usable tread for the season.

How Old Are Your Winter Tires?

Tire age is another important consideration, even if the tires have not been driven extensively.

Tires naturally deteriorate over time. Ontario's MTO Driver's Handbook notes that tires deteriorate with age and should not be older than 10 years.

Age is particularly important when evaluating winter tires because a set that is several seasons old may have experienced relatively little mileage while still aging through storage and exposure to temperature changes.

Where can I find the age of my winter tires?

The tire sidewall contains a date code that can be used to determine when the tire was manufactured. The code is typically part of the tire's DOT identification information.

If you are unsure how to read the date code, a tire professional can check it for you.

Does low mileage mean old winter tires are still good?

Not necessarily. Low mileage can mean the tires have more tread remaining, but tread depth is only one part of a tire's condition. Age, storage conditions, cracking, and other deterioration should also be considered.

Before putting an older set of winter tires back on your vehicle, have them inspected rather than relying solely on how much tread appears to be left.

What Damage Should I Look for on Winter Tires?

Before installing your winter tires, inspect both the tread and sidewalls for visible damage.

Look for:

Cracks
Cutes
Bulges
Blisters
Exposed cords
Punctures or embedded objects
Unusual deformation

Transport Canada advises replacing tires with deep cuts, slits, cracks, blisters, or bulges. Ontario regulations also prohibit tires with exposed cords or sufficiently deep tread or sidewall damage.

Can winter tires be damaged while in storage?

Yes. Tires can deteriorate while they are not being used. Improper storage, age, and environmental exposure can contribute to deterioration.

This is why winter tires should be inspected when they come out of storage rather than simply being installed because they were acceptable the previous season.

If you notice cracking, bulging, or other damage, have the tire assessed before driving on it.

What Does Uneven Winter Tire Wear Mean?

Uneven wear is another reason to have your winter tires inspected before the season begins.

Ideally, the tread should wear relatively evenly across the tire. If one area is significantly more worn than another, it can indicate an underlying issue.

Uneven tire wear can be associated with:

Incorrect tire pressure
Wheel misalignment
Tire imbalance
Suspension issues
Incorrect rotation intervals

Transport Canada notes that uneven tread wear can be caused by improper wheel alignment or tire imbalance.

Why does uneven wear matter for winter tires?

Unevenly worn tires may have less usable tread than their overall appearance suggests. For example, a tire may have acceptable tread in the centre while the inner or outer edge is significantly more worn.

If uneven wear is present, replacing the tire without identifying the underlying cause may allow the replacement tire to develop the same problem.

A tire inspection can therefore do more than determine whether your winter tires need replacing. It can help identify why they have worn the way they have.

Do I Need Four Winter Tires?

For winter driving, Transport Canada and Ontario recommend using four winter tires rather than mixing different types of tires. Four matching winter tires help maintain consistent handling and control.

When inspecting your winter set, compare the condition of all four tires rather than checking only the tires that appear most worn.

Differences in tread depth, tire type, size, or condition can affect how your vehicle behaves in winter conditions.

Should I Check My Tire Pressure Before Winter?

Yes. Tire pressure should be checked as temperatures fall.

Cold temperatures cause tire pressure to decrease. Transport Canada notes that tire pressure can drop by approximately 1 psi for every 5°C decrease in temperature.

Check your tire pressure when the tires are cold and use the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure, which is typically listed on the driver's door or door frame.

Don't use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall as the vehicle's recommended pressure unless the manufacturer specifies it.

When Should I Check My Winter Tires?

The best time to inspect your winter tires is before you need them.

Consider having your tires checked before the first significant snowfall, particularly if they have been stored for several months.

An inspection can give you time to replace tires that are worn, aged, damaged, or unevenly worn before winter conditions arrive.

It's also a good opportunity to check:

Tire pressure
Tread depth
Tire age
Sidewall condition
Wheel condition
Alignment and balance
Overall tire compatibility

Waiting until the first snowfall to discover that your winter tires need replacement can leave you trying to find new tires when demand is at its highest.

Are Your Winter Tires Ready for Another Ontario Winter?

Before installing your winter tires this season, don't just ask whether they fit your vehicle. Ask whether they are still in the right condition for the conditions ahead.

Check the tread depth, age, visible damage, and wear pattern of all four tires. If you're unsure about what you see, a professional inspection can help determine whether your current set is ready for another season or whether it's time for a replacement.

Want to learn more about how you can choose the right set of tires? Our blog on tire maintenance goes in-detail about making sure you have the right set of wheels for whatever condition.

Get Your Winter Tires Checked at Islington Chrysler

Prepare for the colder months with confidence. The Islington Chrysler Service Centre can inspect your winter tires, check tread depth and wear, assess their overall condition, and help you determine whether your current set is appropriate for the season ahead.

Book your winter tire inspection or seasonal tire service at Islington Chrysler before winter arrives.

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