The Wear Square is exclusive to Cooper and features a visual indicator that is part of the tread design and allows drivers to quickly assess the approximate tread life remaining on their tires, giving them more confidence on the road. As the tire wears, the Wear Square transitions among five stages, beginning with a full square design on new tires and ending with an exclamation mark when the tread reaches 2/32s of an inch, which indicates that it is time to replace the tire. Located at three points of reference around the inside and outside of the tire, the Wear Square can also signal uneven tire wear and possible wheel alignment issues. The Wear Square is available only on the new Cooper CS5 Touring tire, which is available now through dealers nationwide.
“Our new Wear Square underscores Cooper’s commitment to tire safety,” said Scott Jamieson, Cooper’s Director of Product Management. “Consumers will appreciate this new and easy way to check their tires’ remaining tread life, which is a key part of overall tire health and vehicle maintenance, which is important to safe operation.”
For all consumers on all tires, the experts at Cooper recommend a monthly tire inspection and maintenance routine to ensure safety and to lengthen the lifespan of tires while providing maximum handling, performance and gas mileage for vehicles.
The following tips from Cooper take less than 10 minutes a month to conduct. In addition to these routine tire maintenance checks, drivers should also perform checks prior to any long road trips and bring their vehicles to a tire dealer for a professional inspection if consumers are in doubt about the condition of their tires.
As a general rule, the deeper the tread depth, the better. Tire tread depth should exceed 2/32s of an inch deep all around the tire. If not driving on the new CS5 Touring tire from Cooper with the Wear Square included, drivers can check tread depth by inserting the edge of a U.S. penny in between the tread, with Lincoln going in headfirst. If the top of Lincoln’s head is covered by tread, there is at least a minimum acceptable amount of tread. If the top of his head is visible at any location on the tire, it is time to replace the tire.
- While examining the tread, consumers should also look for signs of uneven wear or damage, such as cuts, cracks, splits, punctures and bulges. These conditions shorten the life of tires and, if not corrected, could cause further tire damage, tire failure or air loss if left unnoticed.
- Drivers should follow the guidelines in the vehicle owner’s manual or tire placard (or sticker) attached to the vehicle door edge to determine the correct air pressure for their vehicle’s tires. A common myth is that the pressure listed on the tire sidewall is the optimal pressure – in reality, it is the maximum pressure.
- Air pressure should be checked when the tires are completely cool, meaning they are not hot from driving even a mile.
- If any of these checks signal the need for tire maintenance, or if drivers are doubtful about the condition of tires, vehicles should be brought to a tire dealer for a professional inspection.