When Should You Rotate Your Tires?

Tires are one of the biggest expenses for car owners, but with proper maintenance, you can extend the lifespan of your vehicle’s tires. In the process, you could save hundreds of dollars over time. That maintenance should include checking tire pressure, scheduling regular wheel alignments, and rotating your tires. But even diligent car owners can neglect tire maintenance until it's too late.

“Tire rotations are an often-overlooked service that can really save consumers money in the long run,” says Chase Nacol, operations director at AAA Auto Repair.

Rotating your tires sounds simple—and it is. However, understanding a few key elements can make a big difference in keeping your tires in top shape. These include why tire rotation matters, how often to do it, when it might not be necessary, and which rotation pattern best suits your car.

What Is a Tire Rotation?

A tire rotation is a preventative maintenance service where the wheels are removed from your vehicle and reinstalled in different positions. The goal is to help the tires wear more evenly. While you might think your tires would naturally have the same amount of deterioration, that's not the case. For example, on most cars, front tires tend to wear faster than the ones in the back, because they bear the brunt of accelerating, steering, and braking.

“Because each wheel position wears differently—especially between front and rear or left and right—rotating tires regularly extends their life, improves performance, and maintains balanced handling and traction,” says Nacol.

Skipping tire rotations can cause uneven wear, which shortens your tires’ lifespan and hurts their performance, especially when it comes to traction, which is essential for stopping safely on slick roads. “This is particularly dangerous in driving situations where quick maneuvers and/or braking may be required,” says Ian McKenney, senior product manager at Bridgestone Americas.

Additionally, not properly maintaining your tires, including rotating them, may void any warranty from the tire manufacturer, but this may not be the case with road hazard protection purchased with the tires. 

How Often to Rotate Tires

The timing of tire rotations isn't straightforward. For example, Toyota recommends that drivers rotate the tires on a 2022 Corolla every 5,000 miles or six months. The owner’s manual for the 2013 Subaru Forester recommends tire rotations every 7,500 miles or 7.5 months. Bridgestone says car owners should do it every 5,000 miles (or when the car manufacturer recommends), Michelin suggests every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, and Goodyear recommends every 3,000 to 6,000 miles. Such conflicting information can cause confusion for car owners who just want to properly maintain their tires. 

Since most people won’t go to their mechanic for just a tire rotation, a good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires whenever you get an oil change, typically at the 5,000 or 6,000-mile mark if you use synthetic oil. (For conventional oil, which should be replaced every 3,000 miles, you can do it every other change.) Syncing tire rotation with oil changes makes the timing more convenient. 

While many drivers change their own oil, fewer rotate their own tires because it is more of a headache. There are other benefits to having a mechanic do the job. Most notably, it gives them a chance to look at your brakes and other critical components in that area. It’s also a good way to build a relationship with your shop, which can make future emergency car repairs easier.

Tire Rotation Patterns

While all cars can benefit from tire rotations, the specific way they should be rotated depends on the vehicle, the tires, and the drivetrain. Check your owner's manual to see what the manufacturer recommends. Here are the most common rotation patterns: 

• Forward cross: This common pattern is used on front-wheel drive vehicles. It entails moving the front tires to the rear (front left to rear left, front right to rear right), while swapping the rear tires onto the opposite front axles (rear left to front right, rear right to front left).
• Rearward cross: This pattern is recommended for rear-wheel drive vehicles. It involves moving the back tires to the front (rear left to front left, rear right to front right), while swapping the front tires to the opposite sides on the rear axles (front left to rear right, front right to rear left).
• X pattern: For vehicles with four-wheel or all-wheel drive, tires are typically cross-rotated in an X pattern: The front left tire goes to the right rear, the right rear tire comes up to the front left, and so on.
• Front to back: If your tires are directional—meaning they’re designed to roll in only one direction—they can’t switch sides, so the cross and X pattern rotations won’t work. In these cases, tires are typically rotated front to back, but on the same sides of the vehicle. 
• Side to side: Some cars have staggered wheels, meaning the back wheels are a bit wider and larger than the ones in front. These wheels can’t be rotated front to back because they’re different sizes, so the best solution is to rotate side to side. It isn't as effective as a traditional rotation, but it is the only option for these vehicles. 

Why You Might Not Be Able to Get a Tire Rotation

Sometimes you’ll go to the mechanic for a tire rotation, and they’ll advise you that it’s not needed at this time or for your particular tires. This could be due to a number of factors, including:

• Worn tires: A tire rotation is done as preventive maintenance; you do it to prevent problems from happening. But if those problems have already occurred, rotating your tires won’t help. If your tires require replacement or are already worn unevenly across the face of the tire, a tire rotation is typically unnecessary. Keep in mind that you’ll get another chance to properly rotate your tires after you replace them, starting the cycle over again. 
• Mismatched tires: If you have multiple brands of tires or tread patterns, rotating them won’t be particularly effective at ensuring even wear. It’s always best to have four of the same kind of tire on your car, when possible. Unfortunately, that isn’t always practical. 
• Best tires are on the back of the car: This might sound counterintuitive, but if you there are different levels of wear on your tires, the least worn ones should be on the back. This is the safest position for them if you are hydroplaning on a wet road, because it gives more control of the front of your vehicle. 

No matter the specifics of your situation, staying on top of regular tire maintenance is a simple way to keep your tires in the best condition possible for the longest period, which keeps you safer and saves money in the long run.