5 signs you need new tires before winter

Your tires are the only thing between you and a snowy road, and bald rubber that felt fine all summer turns dangerous the moment it gets cold and wet. Winter is the worst time to find that out. A two-minute check in your driveway tells you now, while you still have options. Here is what to look for.

1. Tread depth is getting low

Tread is what cuts through water and snow to reach the road. As it wears down, grip drops fast, especially in the wet. New tires start around 8 to 9 mm of tread. Most are considered worn out at 1.6 mm, and for winter driving you really want more than that, closer to 4 mm or above.

Many tires have small raised bars set into the grooves. When the tread wears down level with those bars, the tire is at its legal limit. If you can see those bars flush with the surface, it is time.

2. The coin test says so

No gauge handy? Grab a Canadian coin. The quick version:

1. Take a quarter and push it into a tread groove, with the caribou going in nose first.
2. If the tread reaches the tip of the caribou's nose, you have a decent amount left.
3. If the nose is fully visible above the tread, the tire is getting low and should be replaced soon.

A toonie gives you even more warning. If the tread reaches the bear's paws, you are in good shape. Check a few spots on each tire, not just one.

3. Cracking and age

Rubber gets old whether you drive on it or not. Look at the sidewalls and the base of the tread grooves for fine cracks, like dried mud. That is the rubber hardening and breaking down. Cracked tires lose grip and are more likely to fail.

Age matters even with good tread. There is a date code stamped on the sidewall, four digits at the end of a "DOT" number, the week and year it was made. Most makers say plan to replace tires around six years old, and at ten years they are done regardless of how they look. A barely-used spare from 2012 is not a safe winter tire.

4. Uneven wear

Run your hand across the tread (carefully, watch for steel). It should feel even. If one edge is bald while the other side still has tread, or the centre is worn while the edges are fine, something is off.

• Worn on both outer edges usually means underinflation.
• Worn down the centre usually means overinflation.
• Worn on one side, or a scalloped, cupped feel, can point to alignment or suspension.

Uneven wear means part of the tire is gone before the rest, so you lose grip and the life you paid for. Worth sorting out the cause, not just the tire.

5. Vibration, noise, or a tire that keeps going soft

A steering wheel that shakes at highway speed, a new hum or thumping, or one tire that keeps needing air, those are all the tire telling you something. Sometimes it is a balance or a slow leak we can patch for around $40. Sometimes it is internal damage and the tire needs to go. The point is not to ignore it heading into winter.

The honest part: sometimes you are fine

Here is the stance we actually take. If your tires have good tread, no cracking, even wear and they are not too old, we will tell you they are fine and to come back next season. We are not going to sell you tires you do not need.

When we are at your place for a changeover, we look the tires over as part of the visit and tell you straight where they stand. If they will get you through another winter, that is what we will say. We confirm your setup on site before anything is charged, and that includes never charging you for tires you do not need yet.

Last updated: June 2026