Toyota drivers: Prepare Your Tires for the Open Road this fall

5 Best Tips to make sure your Toyota Tires are Road Trip Ready 

With long breaks in the school year many Jacksonville residents are choosing to take to the roads during fall. DYK? During the Labor Day holiday alone, AAA, predicted they would be rescuing 300,000 stranded motorists. The most common reasons are flat tires, motorists getting locked out of their Toyotas and dead batteries.  

Are you planning a trip from Avondale or Ortega this fall? Ensure your Toyota vehicle’s tires are ready for the journey with these tips. 

1. Do not to overinflate your tires 

Only inflate your tires to the number that is printed on the sticker located inside the driver’s side of your Toyota. You should be able to find this easily on the inside of the door. To ensure that the tires are properly inflated, check the pressure of the tires when they are cold and to replace any valve caps that are missing.  

2. Keep up with tire rotation 

Rotating your tires every 5,000–8,000 miles helps to ensure that they wear evenly and extends the life of your tires. Please allow our team at Butler Toyota to check for alignment or balance issues before rotating if you notice uneven wear. You can easily make an appointment to bring your Toyota in before your head out to a fall trip.  

3. Alignment on your Toyota 

Equally important as tire rotation, or maybe even a bit more important is Alignment. Accidently hitting a curb or going over a pothole can knock your alignment out of whack. A sure sign that your alignment is not right is a pulling to one side or a vibrating sound. It might seem insignificant, but ignoring these signs or putting off alignment could end up costing you more in the long run.  

4. Don’t weigh your Toyota down 

Sure, you may have stopped by Costco and are putting to use the huge supply of camping gear you bought, but remember your tires are bearing the brunt of this. When you carry a heavy load yourself, your feet are often impacted right? This is the same situation.  

Your tires may experience wear and tear and a reduction in their lifespan if you overload your vehicle. Always check the owner’s manual of your Toyota whether that is a Camry, Rav4 or Highlander for your vehicle to determine the maximum load capacity and pack your belongings accordingly.  

5. Get your vehicle inspected

Before embarking on a lengthy journey by car, it is a good idea to have your vehicle thoroughly inspected. Our service center is located close to Ortega and Orange Park.  

In the event you do have to pull over during a road trip in your Toyota, follow these guidelines:  

• Try to pull over onto the shoulder of the road to put distance between your Toyota and other cars and big trucks.  

• Put on your hazard lights, even in the day, to ensure other drivers can see you.  

• Try to get to the nearest exit  

• Wait until it is safe to get out of your vehicle to avoid oncoming cars.  

• Make sure to keep your cell phone charged up in case you need to call for help.  

Even though Toyota’s are renowned for their reliability, you still need to maintain your vehicle, and tires are the only thing between you and the road. Enjoy the ride but get there safely.