Tire cupping is uneven damage to the middle or edges of your tires that makes them look deflated every few inches. The causes of tire cupping include worn-out shocks and imbalanced or misaligned tires.

Have you ever gotten into your car, started it up, and noticed that the ride was a lot bumpier than usual? Maybe you noticed that your car was shaking and swerving or

your car was making a rattling noise

. You got out to look at your tires and noticed they looked…weird. Like they were deflated in some areas but not in others, almost as if parts of your tire have been scooped out.

If this sounds familiar, it means that your tires have begun to cup. Also known as “scalloped” tires, tire cupping can be caused by various factors. If left unaddressed, cupped tires can lead to dangerous driving and damage to your car.

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What is tire cupping?

Tire cupping describes a pattern of uneven damage to your tire treads. If every few inches (about three or four), your tires have small pockets of deflation—as if someone scooped a little chunk of your tire out—then your tires have begun to cup.

Tires cupping usually occurs in the middle of your tires or right along the edges. To help give you more of a visual, a cupped tire looks like someone threw a golf ball into your tire hard enough to leave a little dent.

MORE:

Is it okay to drive on a flat tire?

What causes tire cupping?

Tire cupping doesn’t only indicate a problem with your tires. Most of the time, if your tires are cupped, it means that there’s a larger issue with your vehicle’s suspension.

A couple of other causes of tire cupping include:

Worn-out shocks: Your shock absorbers do pretty much what their name implies. They absorb any bumps and dips in the road to keep driving smoothly and your tires evenly gripping the road. Over time, the shock absorbers can wear out, leading your tires to bounce—rather than glide—along the road.

Imbalanced tires: If your car’s weight is not evenly distributed across the tires, some tires will wear out in some places before others. This can cause tires to cup.

Unaligned tires: If tires are not properly aligned, they will roll unevenly on the ground and wear out unevenly.

Poorly made tires: Naturally, cheaper quality tires will wear out faster and be more prone to cupping than well-made ones.

MORE: How to check and add air to car tires

What kind of damage does tire cupping cause?

Cupped tires not only cause aesthetic damage to your tires—but driving on cupped tires can also be dangerous to you and other drivers!

If you’re riding around on cupped tires, you’ll have less control of your steering—probably the last thing you want to lose control of when driving. Your car is more prone to veer and swerve, which can cause a car accident.

Aside from car accidents, driving on cupped tires can do a lot of damage to your steering system as a whole. If you’re not proactive about taking care of your cupped tires, you could end up looking at up to $1,000 in damage.

Tire cupping is not a self-correcting issue. Once you notice the signs of a tire cupping, you should take your car to a mechanic to get it checked out as soon as possible. It’s what’s best for your safety and your wallet!

How can I prevent my tires from cupping?

Thankfully, tire cupping is preventable if you keep up a regular

car maintenance schedule

. Regularly getting your car checked on by a professional is the best way to keep problems with your car from festering and causing more damage.

To keep them from cupping, you should make sure to get your tires rotated once every 7,500 miles. This will ensure that they’re rolling evenly on the road. Investing in higher-quality tires is another great way to prevent tire cupping.

Lastly, you should get your suspension checked yearly by a mechanic. A car that’s on well-balanced tires is far less likely to see any cupping.

How can I find a cheaper insurance policy?

Just like getting your tires regularly rotated or changing your oil, having the right

car insurance

policy is a key part of keeping your car and wallet in the best shape possible. But finding a good policy—one that doesn’t compromise savings in the interest of coverage—can feel a bit like going on a wild goose chase.

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