Good news! When you choose Bridgestone or Firestone warranted tires, you’re also getting one of the industry’s best tire warranties to boot! However, understanding both your warranty and your tires can help you to get the most out of each. Here we explain how caring for your tires can help you maintain your tire warranty eligibility and peace of mind.
How Do Tire Warranties Work?
Many people mistake warranties for “money-back guarantees.” Even though the two words sound similar, they’re not synonymous. Typically, tire warranties protect your investment by allowing you to collect a prorated credit (or trade for a new, identical item at a fraction of the retail price) if one of the covered items becomes unusable for any reason within the manufacturer’s control.
Unlike warranties on appliances and electronics, tire warranties aren’t only measured in months or years. They're also measured in tread-life — the manufacturer’s estimate on how many miles your tires’ tread is built to withstand with regular use and maintenance.
However, just because you only drive 5,000 miles a year doesn’t mean your 80,000-mile limited mileage warranty will last 16 years. The eligibility of tire warranties also depends on when the tire was manufactured and installed. This means that purchasing past-model tires or driving relatively short distances won’t necessarily extend your warranty’s duration.
What Does Warranty Eligibility Mean?
Tire warranties protect your tires if they become defective for reasons under the manufacturer’s control, as specified in the warranty manual. Tire warranties do not “insure” your tires from damages that occur due to user error, poor maintenance, and road hazard or contamination-related damage.
Your warranty eligibility is essentially your “right” to use the limited warranty if something goes wrong with the protected tire. Many motorists unintentionally void this right by misusing their tires or not servicing them properly. To preserve your tires’ and limited warranty eligibility, you should always prioritize proper tire care and maintenance.
Tire Care Tips for Warranty Eligibility
As mentioned, tire warranties won’t help with damage stemming from reasons outside of the manufacturer’s control, which means you should do everything in your control to make sure premature damage and wear don’t happen.
Here are a few tips to help you care for your tires (and your warranty eligibility). Make sure to check the warranty manual and accompanying Tire Maintenance and Safety Manual to get all the specifics.
- Check and adjust your tire pressure to proper inflation levels monthly.
- Get your tires professionally rotated at regular intervals as prescribed by your vehicle owner’s manual and tire warranty manual.
- Schedule regular inspections of the suspension system and wheel balance to reduce the risk of other vehicle components causing tire wear and decreased tread-life.
- Get expert repairs on any worn components, misaligned elements, or imbalanced conditions promptly.
- Track repair information, receipts, driving conditions, and mileage using an app, spreadsheet, or similar record-keeping system.
- Practice safe driving habits and avoid dangerous conditions or aggressive maneuvering as much as possible.
Although preserving your tire warranty eligibility may seem like a lot of work, remember — the required services and repairs are all meant to protect your tires. And protecting your tires ultimately helps protect you, your car, and your passengers, too!
What Kind of Tire Warranty Do My Tires Have?
If you purchased your tires through an authorized Bridgestone or Firestone tire retailer, there’s a good chance that you have one of the tire warranty options detailed below.
If you’re not sure whether your new tires “came with” a warranty, check the paperwork you received with your receipt for extra information. Warranties can vary depending on where, how, and under what circumstances you acquired your tires.
Note: The descriptions below are summaries of the limited warranty that may be offered for your tire. Please consult the applicable version of your limited warranty manual for complete details.
Limited Warranty
Covered Tires: Bridgestone, Firestone, Fuzion, and Primewell tires that were purchased at an authorized retailer.
Coverage: Varies by tire brand, may include free replacementperiod, prorated replacement price based on current selling price and tread-life, or prorated credit for equivalent tires from Associated Brand. Applies only to the original tire purchaser. Check the warranty manual for details.
Bridgestone Platinum Pact Limited Warranty
Covered Tires: Eligible Bridgestone tires purchased at an authorized retailer.
Coverage: Free or prorated replacement with an equivalent Bridgestone, Firestone, or Associated Brand tire, including mounting and balancing.
Firestone Gold Pledge Limited Warranty
Covered Tires: Eligible Firestone tires purchased at an authorized retailer.
Coverage: Free or prorated replacement with an equivalent Bridgestone, Firestone, or Associated Brand tire.
Professional Tire Care and Repairs Near You
It’s always best not to leave anything to chance when it comes to caring for your tires and their warranty eligibility. Avoid surprise tire damage and keep up with tire maintenance by scheduling regular service appointments at a Firestone Complete Auto Care near you.
And next time you need new tires, visit our experienced technicians for help finding the right set for your car! You’ll drive off with a new set of tires paired with a competitive warranty and, depending on the brand and model you choose, you may even get our best-in-class 90-Day Buy and Try Guarantee.
