What Does Maintenance Tire Mean on My Nissan?

July 22, 2021

There's nothing worse than getting into your car, starting it up, and finding a Nissan tire maintenance light emblazoned across your dashboard. Why? Because you don't know what it means. Is it an emergency? Is it safe to drive?

don't let this warning ruin your day. Learn what this symbol means, what you can do about it, and how regular tire rotations can benefit your Nissan.

What Does the Maintenance Tire Light Mean?

When the tire maintenance light on your Nissan illuminates, it means its time for the tires to be rotated as part of regularly scheduled maintenance. (This light is not related to the tire pressure.)

Fortunately, the tire maintenance light isn't cause for alarm. But don't ignore the warning that the light is giving you, since tires that are not rotated on a regular basis can cause problems down the road. Tires typically should be rotated every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, or every six months. However, the time between rotations can vary depending on your vehicle, your tires, your driving frequency, your driving habits, and the road conditions where you drive most often.

Be sure to check your owners manual to see what's recommended for your Nissan. Some experts suggest getting your tires rotated every time you get an oil change.

Why Is It Important to Rotate Your Tires?

Rotating your tires on a regular schedule can prevent uneven wear, improve driving performance, prolong the life of your tires and ultimately save money. Its one of the most common maintenance tasks needed to keep your Nissan running well.

Routine tire rotations help balance out the different tire wear that happens on the front and rear tires. This occurs because the front and rear tires serve different purposes. The front tires help with steering, while the rear tires provide stability.

During a rotation, tires are switched to different positions. Heres how it usually works:

• Front-wheel-drive Nissan: The front tires move to the back; they're kept on the same sides, though. When the rear tires are switched to the front, the sides are flipped, though.
• Rear-wheel-drive Nissan: The rotation process for a rear-wheel-drive Nissan is the opposite of what happens with a front-wheel-drive Nissan. With a rear-wheel-drive rotation, the rear tires move directly forward, and the front tires move back and switch sides.
• All-wheel-drive Nissan: All-wheel drive vehicles tend to wear differently compared with their front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel drive counterparts. Therefore, its usually suggested that all-wheel-drive tires be rotated every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Consult your owners manual for specific recommendations.

In addition to the actual rotation, a qualified Nissan technician will look at the tread depth, check the tire pressure, and inspect the tires for potential problems.

Putting off tire rotations can cause your tires to wear unevenly and might mean you need to buy tires earlier than expected. Maintain your Nissan tires with routine tire rotations at your nearest service center or shop for Nissan tires near you now.