All drivers should know this basic rule: Winter tires belong to the vehicle from 0 to 0, October to Easter. Despite still late summer temperatures, the time to change tires every six months is increasing, even on the plains. And this is highly recommended. Because summer and winter tires not only have a different profile, they also have a different rubber composition. This allows winter tires not only to provide more grip on snow, but also on asphalt at lower temperatures. In practice this means, for example, a significantly shorter braking distance. Summer tires are designed for higher temperatures.
The limit is about 7 degrees. Winter tires are better at the bottom, summer tires are better at the top. During the transition period in the spring and now in the fall, temperatures can still vary widely from day to day. If the temperature is well below the 7°C limit, you should leave your vehicle with summer tires or at least drive more carefully and keep your distance to stop in time if in doubt. It can get cold quickly in the fall, especially at night.
Consequences of wrong tires
If you do not change your tyres, you will not automatically be penalized because the Swiss Road Traffic Act does not in principle prescribe winter tyres. But the operation of the car should always be safe. In other words, anyone who has an accident with summer tires in winter will be prosecuted. In addition, in the event of an accident with winter tires in the summer – incidentally, and vice versa – the insurance company can take recourse.
What about all season tires?
But when you have all-season or all-season tires, is all the stress of changing necessary? no As this is a compromise, such rubbers do not perform perfectly in either winter or summer (more about this in the TCS manual). In other words: the grip is worse, the braking distance is longer. That’s why all-season tires are particularly recommended for people who drive the vehicle only occasionally. The rule of thumb here is: if you drive more than 20,000 kilometers a year, it’s better to use all-season tires.
6 tips for tire care
- Check tire pressure Every tire loses air, so check it monthly! Rule of thumb: less is better. Reduces wear and consumption by 0.3 bar more than specified. Important: Add an additional 0.3 bar to hot-dried tires.
- Lifetime,tooth depth and age The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 millimeters, ideally a minimum of four (winter tyres) or three (summer tyres) millimeters. The DOT number on the side of the tire indicates the age of the tire (eg 1914 = 19th week, 2014). Replace after ten, better eight years.
- obey speed limits For motorway stages in Germany, especially with winter tyres, check the side of the tire as a precaution. There, the last letter of the designation indicates how fast it can be driven, such as S for 180 km/h or H for 210 km/h. General information about the “speed index” is available on the Internet, for example at TCS.
- Care Someone chasing the curb at a sharp angle or kissing the curb while parking sometimes causes structural damage that cannot be seen from the outside. Therefore, make more frequent visual checks; In case of damage, consult a specialist dealer.
- beware of the price If you only look at the money when buying, you will pay later. Even a good, already worn tire often brakes better than a new, super cheap tire. On the other hand, more expensive does not necessarily mean better. We recommend tire testing (eg TCS) and purchasing tires from specialist dealers.
- Store it correctly Store upright without rims and turn once a month, increase pressure by 0.5 bar with rims and stack horizontally. Write in chalk where the tire is (eg “VL” = front left). Store cool and dry.