Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Here are several tips to help increase the life of your tires:

• Don’t speed. High speeds generate excessive heat, which increases the rate of tire wear and reduces the tire’s durability. Drive the safe, legal speed limit.
• Avoid fast turns on curves and around corners.
• Avoid fast starts and panic stops.
• Don’t ride on the edge of the pavement or drive over curbs, potholes, or other obstructions.

Each tire has a required Department of Transportation (DOT) number imprinted on at least one of its sidewalls. That number begins with the letters "DOT" and may contain up to 12 additional numbers and letters.

The first and last digits are the most important:

• The first two letters or numbers identify the manufacturer of the tires.
• Prior to the year 2000, the last 3 digits of a DOT number represented the week (2 digits) and the year (1 digit) of production. So if the last three digits are 439, the tire was produced in the 43rd week of 1999.
• Tires produced after January 1, 2000, have a 4-digit date code at the end of the DOT number. The first 2 digits represent the week of production and the last 2 digits represent the last 2 digits of the year of production. So, 3500 indicates the tire was produced in the 35th week of the year 2000.

Properly maintained tires will help give you a more comfortable ride and a longer tread life. So:

• Properly (e.g., cold) check your tire pressure monthly.
• Check your tires frequently for any cuts, snags, punctures, any other injury, or irregular tire wear.
• At the first sign of irregular treadwear, have your alignment checked.
• Make sure the tires are balanced when they are mounted on the wheels.
• Rotate your tires following the schedule in your vehicle owners manual or as required by the tire manufacturer’s warranty.
• Clean your tires with soap and water and a soft bristle brush or a shop cloth. For stronger cleaning and protection, Michelin recommends using its Wheel & Tire Care product line. The Michelin™ Wheel & Tire Care Program is available at leading retailers throughout North America.

Many factors affect the tread life of your tires, such as:

• Tread compounds
• Construction features
• Vehicle application
• Tire maintenance
• Geographic conditions
• Atmospheric conditions
• Driving habits
• And more

That’s why exact mileage is impossible to predict. Take special care when braking, accelerating, cornering, etc., to help increase the life of the tire.

If you have concerns about the rate of wear on your tires, consult your local authorized Michelin retailer.

If tires of different speed ratings are mounted on a vehicle, the lower speed-rated tires should be placed on the front axle regardless of which axle is driven. This is to prevent a potential oversteer condition. Vehicle handling may be affected, and the vehicle’s speed capacity is now limited to the lowest speed-rated tire.

For best all-around performance, the same type tire should be used on all four wheel positions.

Tires of different size designations, constructions, and stages of wear may affect vehicle handling and stability. NOTE: Some vehicles are intentionally fitted with different size tires on front and rear.

Also, DO NOT mix radial and non-radial tires on a vehicle. If mixing tires is unavoidable, NEVER mix radial and non-radial tires on the same axle. If two radial and two non-radial tires are installed on a vehicle, the two radials MUST be installed on the rear axle and the two non-radials on the front axle.

For four-wheel drive vehicles, if no instructions for tire mixing appear in the vehicle owners manual, adhere to the following guidelines:

• Do not mix sizes. All four tires must be branded with the same tire size.
• Do not mix radial and bias-ply tires. All four must be either radial or bias-ply.
• Be sure that the outside circumference of all four tires is within 1.5" of each other.
• Do not mix tread patterns, such as all-terrain and all-season.

When replacing speed-rated tires, you must use replacement tires with ratings equal to or greater than those of the original equipment tires, if the speed capability of the vehicle is to be maintained. The handling of a performance vehicle may be different when the replacement tires are not the same speed rating. Refer to the vehicle owners manual to identify any tire speed rating restriction that could affect operation of the vehicle.

Never choose a tire that is smaller in size or has less load-carrying capacity than the tire that came with the vehicle. Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation – or approved options – as recommended by the vehicle or tire manufacturer. The correct tire size can be found on the door placard of the vehicle or by consulting your local authorized Michelin retailer.

Your current tires’ size can be found by reading the markings on the sidewall.

If you’re replacing only two tires, be sure to have the new tires installed on your vehicle’s rear axle. Here’s why:

• New tires will provide better wet grip than your half-worn tires.
• When new tires are installed on the rear, it helps reduce the potential for your vehicle to fishtail or hydroplane in wet conditions.

Only tires purchased from BJ’s Wholesale Club will be installed by a BJ’s Certified Tire Center Associate. Tires purchased elsewhere will not be installed.

On the tire’s sidewall there is a series of letters and numbers that describes the fundamental characteristics of your tire. Size, construction, speed rating and more. Hover over the animation below for more details.

Your correct tire size and tire pressure can be found in your vehicle’s owners’ manual or on the OEM sticker on your driver’s side door. Of course, your BJ’s tire technician can also take care of making the right recommendation for tire type, size and features based on your vehicle and driving needs.

For more information on the OEM sticker, read below.

One easy way to check for wear is by using the penny test. About once per month, or before a long trip, grab your spare change and follow 3 easy steps.

1. Take a penny and hold Abe's body between your thumb and forefinger.
2. Select a point on your tire where tread appears the lowest and place Lincoln's head into one of the grooves.
3. If any part of Abe Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the legal and safe amount of tread. If your tread gets below that (approximately 2/32 of an inch), your car's ability to grip the road in adverse conditions is greatly reduced.