What Does a Red or Yellow Dot on Your Tires Mean?

Tires become unbalanced when the weight around the tires and wheels is no longer evenly distributed. These are some possible causes:

• Tire/wheel assembly becomes lighter as tires wear.
• Tires are over or under-inflated.
• Improper alignment results in abnormal tire wear.
• A wheel weight has fallen off.
• An improper wheel or tire repair.
• Leaky valve stem replacement.
• Cold mornings cause “flat-spots.”
• The car has been sitting in one place too long.
• The wheel is damaged from hitting a pothole or bouncing into a curb.

To extend tire life and even out wear, check tire pressure and rotate tire/wheels every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. However, If you notice vibration while driving, you’ll need to have the pros balance the tires.