The collection
How tires grip the road and how brakes slow the car, with the signs of wear to watch for, how to check tire pressure, and when a professional should take a look.
Tires and Brakes
Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point and can soften the pedal. Learn how to read the interval in your owner manual and the warning signs to act on.
Tires and Brakes
Correct tire pressure is listed on a placard on the car, not on the tire sidewall. Here is how to find that number, check cold tires with a gauge and spot a slow leak.
Tires and Brakes
All-season and winter tires differ in rubber compound, tread design and cold-weather grip. Learn which driving conditions suit each type, how to judge tread depth and when to swap.
Tires and Brakes
Pressing the brake pedal moves fluid through hydraulic lines to calipers, which squeeze pads onto rotors. Here is how that chain turns pedal force into friction and heat.
Tires and Brakes
Tire tread channels water away from the contact patch, so shallow tread loses wet grip. Learn how tread works, how to check its depth with a penny and a quarter and when to replace tires.
Tires and Brakes
Uneven tire wear is a clue. Center wear, edge wear, one-sided wear, feathering and cupping each point to a different cause, from pressure to alignment to suspension.