{"id":2641802,"date":"2026-02-06T12:45:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/?p=2641802"},"modified":"2026-09-15T15:51:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T13:51:47","slug":"how-long-do-winter-tires-last-and-how-do-you-know-if-they-are-starting-to-go-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/how-long-do-winter-tires-last-and-how-do-you-know-if-they-are-starting-to-go-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"How long do winter tires last \u2013 and how do you know if they are starting to go bad?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the cold weather sets in, many people switch to winter tires, but how long should they actually be used? And how do you know if they are starting to wear out or are about to become dangerous? Here we explain it in a simple way!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There is no exact answer to how long a set of tires is safe to drive with, at least not one that fits all different tires and manufacturers. But in general, it is said that winter tires last about 2-4 seasons<\/strong> (i.e. winters). This could be due to several things:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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  1. How much do you drive:<\/strong> More driving = faster wear.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. How to drive:<\/strong> A gentle driving style causes less tire wear than rapid acceleration and hard cornering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Maintenance:<\/strong> Correct air pressure makes tires last longer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Storage<\/strong>: Proper storage during the summer makes a difference.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    It is therefore completely normal for the tires to feel different after a few years, both in terms of tread depth and the properties of the rubber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When should you change your winter tires?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The most important thing to keep an eye on is the tread depth<\/strong>. For winter tires, there is a law of at least 3mm<\/strong> in tread depth in Sweden, but many experts recommend at least 4\u20135mm<\/strong> for really good grip in snow and slush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your winter tires have less tread depth than that, it's time to replace them \u2013 even if the tires are only a couple of seasons old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you are driving studded winter tires, it is a good idea to check them regularly. Does it seem like many studs have come loose? The rest of the tire is designed to work with studs, so you can't just assume that it will be the same as driving with non-studded winter tires, but that they should be replaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Signs that winter tires are in poor condition<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s easy to just think, \u201cI have the right new winter tires, they\u2019ll last a while,\u201d but remember that nothing has as big an impact on your car\u2019s handling as your tires. Here are some common signs that it might be time to replace them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Low tread depth:<\/strong> less than 4\u20135 mm means poorer grip.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Cracks in the rubber:<\/strong> especially in the side walls, it is a warning sign.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • The tire feels hard and stiff:<\/strong> Older tires often become significantly harder and lose flexibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Uneven wear:<\/strong> may be due to errors in wheel alignment or air pressure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Vibrations in the steering wheel:<\/strong> may be signs of damage or imbalance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Lost studs: <\/strong>Affects grip, especially on icy roads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      If you notice any of this, it's wise to have a tire shop look at the tires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Tips for extending the life of winter tires<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Taking care of your tires means they last longer \u2013 and give you a safer drive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • Check the air pressure regularly<\/strong>: too low or too high pressure causes the tire to wear out faster.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Winter tires on the right wheels:<\/strong> Make sure that both front and rear wheels are in equal condition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Change in time:<\/strong> Don't wait until the last winter, then you risk poorer grip.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Store them properly in the summer:<\/strong> Dark, cool and dry is best.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Summary<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        How long your winter tires last depends on how you drive, how much you drive, and how you take care of them. A rule of thumb is 2-4 winter seasons<\/strong>, but the most important thing is that keep track of tread depth and tire status<\/strong>. When your tires start to get hard, cracked or have poor tread depth, it's time to replace them \u2013 for your own safety and the safety of others on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        This question was answered by:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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        Olga Granbom<\/strong>
        Workshop Manager, Niemi Bil Spantgatan, Lule\u00e5<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        N\u00e4r kylan kryper p\u00e5 \u00e4r det m\u00e5nga som byter till vinterd\u00e4ck, men hur l\u00e4nge borde de egentligen anv\u00e4ndas? Och hur vet man om de b\u00f6rjar bli slitna eller p\u00e5 v\u00e4g att bli farliga? H\u00e4r reder vi ut det p\u00e5 ett enkelt s\u00e4tt! Det finns inget exakt svar p\u00e5 hur l\u00e4nge en upps\u00e4ttning d\u00e4ck \u00e4r s\u00e4kra […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2663605,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[531],"tags":[532],"class_list":["post-2641802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-verkstadsfragan","tag-verkstadsfragan"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2641802"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2662301,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641802\/revisions\/2662301"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2663605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2641802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2641802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.niemibil.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2641802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}