How to Protect Tires on a Car That Sits
Keep the tires off a cold, hard surface and move the car every so often, and they'll hold up fine while it sits.
Keep weight even and the car moving now and then
A tire that sits in one spot for a long time can develop a flat spot where the rubber was resting on the ground. Cold weather makes this worse because the rubber stiffens. The fix is simple. Park on a surface that isn't freezing concrete if you can, keep the tires properly inflated, and roll the car forward or back every few weeks so the weight isn't always on the same patch of rubber.
How much this matters depends on how long the car sits and what kind of tires it has. A car parked for a weekend doesn't need any of this. A car parked for a season does. If you know the car won't move for months, it's worth doing more than just checking the air.
How long the car will sit changes what you should do
A few weeks is different from a few months. For a short break, keeping the tires inflated to the right pressure and parking somewhere dry is enough. The tire has enough give that a short rest won't leave a permanent mark.
For a longer stretch, flat spots become more likely, especially in cold weather. Some flat spots work themselves out once you start driving again and the rubber warms up. Others, especially on a car left for a full season in the cold, can stay. If you know the car is going to sit for months, moving it periodically or putting it up on jack stands to take the weight off the tires entirely are both worth doing.
Check your tire pressure before the car sits, not after. A tire that's underinflated when it's parked is carrying its weight on a smaller patch of rubber, which makes a flat spot more likely. Fill them to the pressure listed on the inside of the driver's door, not the number on the tire itself.
Where the car sits matters as much as how long
A heated garage is easier on tires than an open driveway in winter. Cold makes rubber stiffer and less able to spring back into shape after sitting. If you have a choice of where to park a car that won't be driven for a while, pick the spot that stays warmer and dry.
What the car sits on matters too. Bare concrete pulls moisture and heat out of a tire differently than asphalt or a wood board placed under each tire. Some people put a piece of plywood or a tire cradle under each wheel specifically to change what the tire is resting against. It's a small thing, but it helps.
A common mistake is thinking a full tank of air fixes everything. It helps, but it doesn't replace moving the car or taking weight off the tires if the car is going to sit for a long time. Pressure keeps the tire round. It doesn't stop the same patch of rubber from taking all the weight if nothing else changes for months.
Questions people ask about this
Do I need to take the wheels off a car that's being stored?
No, but it's one way to protect the tires completely. Taking the wheels off and setting the car on jack stands removes all weight from the tires, which is the surest way to prevent flat spots. It's more effort than most people want for a car that's only sitting for a few months.
Will a flat spot go away once I start driving again?
Sometimes, especially if the car only sat for a short time. As the tire warms up and flexes with driving, a mild flat spot can work itself out. A flat spot from months of sitting, especially in the cold, is more likely to be permanent and may need the tire replaced.
Should I overinflate the tires before storing the car?
No. Overinflating puts uneven stress on the tire and doesn't prevent flat spots the way people think it does. Inflate to the pressure listed on the driver's door sticker and check it again if the car sits for more than a few weeks.
Does a car cover help protect the tires?
A cover protects the paint and interior more than the tires. It can help keep direct sun and extreme temperature swings off the rubber, but it doesn't do anything about the weight sitting on one spot. Moving the car or getting weight off the tires does that.
Does my car insurance cost less while the car is parked and not driven?
That depends on your insurer and the kind of policy they offer for a car that isn't being driven. Some insurers have a reduced coverage option for a stored vehicle. Ask your insurer directly what they offer and what you need to do to qualify for it.
If the car's going to sit for a while, it's a good time to see what storing it might do to your insurance costs.
Check your tire pressure against the number on the driver's door sticker before the car sits for any length of time. If you know it won't move for months, pick a dry spot that doesn't freeze and plan to roll it forward or back every few weeks, or ask about putting it on jack stands. Write down the date you parked it so you remember how long it's been sitting. While you're at it, call your insurer and ask whether they offer a lower rate for a car that isn't being driven, and what proof they'll want.
