Do You Have To Buy Tires In Pairs May 2026

Replacing tires in pairs—specifically on the same axle—ensures that the car remains balanced during braking and cornering.

: Most AWD manufacturers, like Subaru and Audi, require replacing all four tires at once. Even a small difference in tread depth (often as little as do you have to buy tires in pairs

: Mismatched tires can lead to "darting" or unstable steering because one side of the car has significantly more traction than the other. of an inch) can cause the tires to

of an inch) can cause the tires to spin at different speeds, which puts immense stress on the drivetrain and can lead to expensive differential failure. 3. When It’s Safe to Replace Just One : You can typically replace tires in axle pairs

: Differing tread depths on the same axle can cause the vehicle to veer to one side during emergency stops.

: You can typically replace tires in axle pairs. If you only buy two, experts at Bridgestone and Michelin advise putting the new tires on the rear axle , regardless of whether the car is FWD or RWD. This provides better stability and prevents dangerous oversteer in wet conditions.

There are rare scenarios where a single-tire replacement is acceptable: