Winter Tire FAQ

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WHAT ARE WINTER TIRES?

Winter tires have a mountain/snowflake symbol located on the sidewall of the tires similar to this symbol below. This symbol distinguishes winter tires from all-season/all-weather tires.

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SHOULD I GET ALL-WEATHER OR WINTER TIRES FOR THE COLD?

All-weather tires are designed perfectly for spring, summer and fall. For winter driving, winter tires are the most safe and designed to stay soft in cold temperatures.

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WHEN SHOULD I CHANGE MY SEASONAL TIRES?

When you are living in a cold weather climate, we suggest having your winter tires in place when the temperature is predicted to be 7 degrees Celsius and lower. Winter tires are designed to give exceptional traction when the exterior temperature dips below 7 degrees Celsius and this is the ideal temperature to have them changed over.

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CAN I LEAVE MY SNOW TIRES ON ALL YEAR?

Yes but it's not a good idea. Snow tires are noisier as they have more aggressive tread and will wear out faster as they have softer compounds. It can also be dangerous to drive on winter tires through the summer as soft winter tire compound can become even softer from high temperatures, causing the tire handling performance to drop significantly.

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DO I NEED TWO OR FOUR WINTER TIRES?

It is highly recommended that you install all four-winter tires to help maintain balance and controlled handling in poor driving conditions. Using just two winter tires on a vehicle creates a uneven traction that may have handling consequences such as spinning out.

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WHAT ARE WINTER TIRES?

Winter tires are designed specifically to conform to the road for more controlled handling as they have a soft rubber compound that remains flexible as temperatures drop. They also have tread patterns specifically designed to dig down and bite into snow and ice. Winter tires can have as much as 25 to 50 percent more traction than all-season tires.

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WHAT IS TPMS AND WHAT DO I DO WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON?

The TPMS warning light comes on to indicate that one or more of your tires are underinflated. If the TPMS light is blinking, it may be a sensor issue. If one of these occurs on your vehicle, please come in to Mississauga Toyota to ensure your traction and stability are not compromised.