5 Check for the obvious signs of wear and tear Tire inspections and maintenance When a vehicle rolls into the shop, technicians may run through a checklist so they can: 5 If it’s a returning customer who is already on the system, this can also be an opportunity to look up the history of the tire’s maintenance. So what data is required? Typically, technicians will record the Department of Transportation (DOT) number for each tire, alongside the tread depth. If they are doing a full vehicle inspection or creating a new customer record, they may also record the license plate and vehicle identification number (VIN). This information is almost always recorded with pen and paper. Maintenance sheets are then either physically archived or given to the customer. The problem? Paper maintenance records lead to inaccuracies. Also, archived sheets are often misplaced, and customers might not keep or bring back their own copy back for their next tire service or purchase. This makes it almost impossible to keep track and reuse that data for further maintenance or commercial services. Check the tire pressure, balancing and wheel alignment Understand the tire age for replacement needs Plan for future tire maintenance