Rotating tires is an essential maintenance task that helps extend the life of your tires. Rotate Tires On A Honda Accord regularly to promote even wear and ensure your tires last as long as possible. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my experience and expertise on how to properly rotate tires on a Honda Accord.
Tire rotation involves moving each tire to a different position on the vehicle to distribute wear evenly. On front-wheel drive vehicles like the Accord, front tires tend to wear out faster than rear tires due to handling most of the work while driving and steering. By rotating tires, you allow each one to serve in multiple positions so they wear down evenly.
Why Is Rotating Tires Important?
Rotate Tires On A Honda Accord helps promote even treadwear across your tires. When tires stay in the same position for too long, they tend to wear unevenly. Rotating them evens out the wear and extends the life of your tires. Here are some key benefits:
- Promotes Even Wear: Tires wear at different rates depending on their position. Rotating them balances wear across all four tires.
- Extends Tire Life: Evening out treadwear allows you to get more miles out of your tires before needing replacements. Proper rotation could extend tire life by thousands of miles.
- Improves Handling: Uneven tread wear can impact handling and braking. Rotating helps keep treadwear even for better grip and vehicle control.
- Maintains Alignment: Rotating identifies alignment issues before they accelerate uneven tire wear.
- Saves Money: Getting more miles out of your tires reduces the frequency of needing new ones installed. Less frequent tire purchases save you money in the long run.
How Do You Rotate Tires On A Honda Accord?
The recommended rotation interval can vary depending on your Honda Accord’s drivetrain and your driving habits and conditions.
- Front-wheel drive: Every 5,000-7,500 miles
- Rear-wheel drive: Every 5,000-7,500 miles
- All-wheel drive: Every 3,000-5,000 miles
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended interval specific to your Accord. Driving habits and road/weather conditions also impact intervals. More aggressive driving or rougher conditions may necessitate rotating more frequently. When in doubt, err on the side of rotating sooner rather than later.
Tire Rotation Patterns
The most effective rotation method depends on your Honda Accord’s drivetrain. Here are the recommended rotation patterns:
Front-Wheel Drive Rotation
The front tires move straight back to the rear in their same left/right position. The rear tires criss-cross to the front in the opposite left/right position:
Front
- Left Front → Left Rear
- Right Front → Right Rear
Rear
- Left Rear → Right Front
- Right Rear → Left Front
Rear-Wheel Drive Rotation
The pattern is basically reversed from front-wheel drive. The rear tires move straight forward to the front in their same left/right position. The front tires criss-cross to the rear in the opposite left/right position:
Rear
- Left Rear → Left Front
- Right Rear → Right Front
Front
- Left Front → Right Rear
- Right Front → Left Rear
All-Wheel Drive Rotation
For AWD Accords, the side-to-side rotation is the same as front-wheel drive. However, the front and rear tires can be rotated diagonally:
- Front Left → Rear Right
- Front Right → Rear Left
- Rear Left → Front Right
- Rear Right → Front Left
This diagonal rotation ensures even wear across all four tires.
Materials Needed
Before getting started, ensure you have these essential tools and materials:
- Floor jack: Safely lifts the vehicle’s tires can be removed
- Jack stands: Support the vehicle once lifted with the floor jack
- Lug wrench: Removes lug nuts so wheels can be swapped
- Chalk or crayon: Marks tires with their original location
- Torque wrench: Tightens lug nuts to the proper spec
- Service manual: Outlines torque specs and safety precautions
You’ll also need enough space with a flat, level, and hard surface to safely jack up the vehicle and rotate the tires. Never rotate tires on a sloped or soft surface.
Step-By-Step Tire Rotation
Once you have the necessary tools and workspace, follow these steps to properly rotate tires on a Honda Accord:
Mark Tire Locations
Before jacking up the Accord, mark the current position of each tire using chalk or a crayon. This helps keep track of where they started when going back on. Mark them as front left, front right, rear left, and rear right.
Loosen Lug Nuts
Using your lug wrench, loosen the lug nuts on each wheel about one turn counter-clockwise. Don’t remove them fully yet.
Jack Up the Vehicle
Following the service manual, place the floor jack securely under a recommended jacking point. Lift the Accord enough so there is adequate clearance to remove and swap tires.
Support With Jack Stands
With the Accord lifted, place jack stands securely under recommended support points near each wheel. Gradually lower the floor jack until the vehicle is fully supported by the stands.
Remove Tires
Finish unscrewing the lug nuts by hand, then remove each wheel. Set aside lug nuts and wheels so they stay matched up.
Rotate Tires
Looking at your chalk marks, rotate the tires according to the correct pattern for your drivetrain. Double check locations against the rotation diagram.
Mount and Install
Place each wheel on the new location and hand tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Once snug, lower the vehicle fully onto the ground.
Tighten Lug Nuts
Using your torque wrench, tighten the lugs in sequence to the torque specified in your service manual. Tighten in a star pattern.
Re-Torque Lug Nuts
Once finished, re-torque the lug nuts after 50-100 miles of driving. The wheels can settle and the nuts may need tightening.
And that wraps up the complete tire rotation process for a Honda Accord! Proper rotation is quick, easy, and one of the most beneficial maintenance steps for maximizing the life of your tires.
Also Read: How Do You Replace Honda Accord Speakers?
Frequently Asked Questions
How Is Tire Rotation Different On An AWD Honda Accord?
The key difference is that front and rear tires are rotated diagonally in an X pattern rather than straight back-and-forth. This provides even wear across all four tires on an AWD system.
Can I Rotate Just The Front Tires On My FWD Accord?
It’s best to rotate all four tires as a set. Only rotating front tires on FWD still allows uneven wear between front and rear.
Should Tires Be Rotated Side-To-Side Or Criss-Cross?
For FWD and RWD vehicles, a straight back-and-forth rotation is best to preserve left/right wear patterns. AWD is the exception where criss-cross diagonal rotation prevents tire wear biases.
How Much Does It Cost To Have Tires Rotated?
Most shops charge $20-$40 for a standard tire rotation service, but some offer free rotations if you purchase tires from them. You can DIY for just the cost of tools.
How Do I Know When My Tires Need To Be Rotated Again?
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended interval by miles. Tires should also be inspected any time you notice vibration, pulling, uneven wear or tread depths during rotation.
What’s Better – Tire Rotation Or Alignment For Wear?
Both are important maintenance, but alignment primarily addresses wear from mechanical issues. Rotation itself helps even out treadwear regardless of alignment.
Can I Rotate Just The Front Tires And Leave The Rears?
It’s always best to rotate all four tires as a set. Only doing fronts would still allow uneven wear between front and rear.
The Bottom Line
Regularly rotating tires on a Honda Accord is vital preventative maintenance to maximize the lifespan of your tires and keep your vehicle’s handling and braking safely optimized. While intervals vary slightly by drivetrain, the procedure involves straightforward steps to remove, rotate based on drivetrain pattern, remount, and properly torque the lug nuts.
With the right preparation and procedure, DIY tire rotation can save you shop fees while extending the life of your tires. Let me know if you have any other tire rotation questions!