Spring tire changes bring rise in loose, detached wheels, OPP warns

What do drivers need to do to ensure their vehicles are safe for the road after ditching their winter tires? CTV’s Hannah Schmidt reports.

A routine seasonal tire change is prompting a safety warning from Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), who say they are already seeing a springtime increase in wheels coming loose or detaching from vehicles.

Police say the issue tends to surface twice a year — in the spring and fall — when drivers switch between winter and seasonal tires. This year, officers report the trend is already underway.

Const. Taylor Konkle said improperly installed or unsecured wheels can lead to serious hazards on the road.

“They might not be torqued properly,” Konkle said in an interview. “We experience a lot of wheel-offs on our 400 series highways and on our city roads.”

Police say the consequences can include collisions, vehicle damage and drivers being stranded in live traffic lanes. In some cases, a detached tire can become a fast-moving hazard for other motorists.

“If your wheel does come off your vehicle and it is skipping down the road, a motorist could be charged with an HTA offense or Highway Traffic Act offense of a detached part,” Konkle said. “Fines can range from $100 to $1,000 for those incidents.”

Konkle said officers have already responded to multiple incidents this season involving loose or detached wheels on both passenger and commercial vehicles, with the trend expected to continue into early summer.

Mechanics in the region say they are also seeing an increase in tire-related issues during the busy seasonal changeover period.

“It’s been go, go, go,” said Chris Tsegas, owner of Fowler Tire in Kitchener.

He notes a rise in problems linked to pothole damage and improper installations, including loose components, worn wheel bearings and tire defects.

They added some drivers attempt to install tires themselves using parts that may not fit properly.

“We’ve seen people put their tires on and then they come in here and something’s not right,” he said. “They don’t fit right and then they come loose.”

Tsegas says many of these issues are preventable with proper installation and follow-up checks.

“Make sure that your tires are flat on the hub,” he said. “Make sure the back of the rim is clean. Make sure the face of the hub is clean, and then make sure you torque everything.”

The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) recommends using a torque wrench to tighten lug nuts to manufacturer specifications and rechecking them after driving between 50 and 100 kilometres.

“Also, it’s important to use the proper techniques,” said CAA Community Relations Consultant, Michael Stewart. “So, that could be the star formation, for example. You kind of go top, bottom, across, etc. That helps to distribute that torquing evenly across the tire.”

Officers are urging drivers to perform routine checks, especially after a tire change, and to pull over immediately if they notice unusual noises or vibrations while driving.

With shops booked up, Tsegas says don’t rush the job — or the people doing it.

“Just be patient. The more you rush shops, the more they’re just trying to push it out instead of spending that time and taking that extra 5 to 10 minutes.”