A Tires 101 lesson on ...  Tire Rotation

The purpose of regularly rotating tires is to achieve more uniform wear for all tires on a vehicle.  Before rotating tires, individual owner manuals should always be consulted for rotation recommendations for specific vehicles.  If no rotation period is specified, you should rotate your tires after every other oil change or about every 6,000 miles or at the first sign of uneven wear.  If the tires show uneven wear, have a serviceperson check for and correct any misalignment, imbalance, or other mechanical problem before rotating.

Tire Rotation Patterns

Do not include "Temporary Use Only" spare tire in any of these rotation patterns.  If you have a spare tire that matches the other 4 tires on your vehicle, you may use any of the rotation patterns and insert the spare in the right rear position and place the tire that would have gone to the right rear position in the trunk as a new spare.

When tire are rotated, inflation pressures should be checked and adjusted for the tire's new position in accordance with the actual loads on that wheel position and the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.