Tyre rotation means moving your tyres to different positions on the vehicle at regular intervals, to even out wear across all four tyres.
Why rotate?
Front and rear tyres wear differently depending on your vehicle's drivetrain, weight distribution, and whether they're doing the steering. Without rotation, some tyres wear out faster than others, meaning you may need to replace them one or two at a time rather than getting even life out of a full set.
Example pattern only — the correct pattern depends on your specific vehicle and tyre type.
How often?
A common guideline is every 8,000–10,000km, or at every second oil change — but check your vehicle manufacturer's recommendation, since this varies by vehicle.
Rotation patterns
The correct pattern depends on your vehicle (front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive) and whether your tyres are directional (designed to only rotate one way) or non-directional. Because of this, rotation is best left to a professional who can check your tyre type and vehicle configuration.
Combining rotation with a wheel alignment check and tyre pressure check gets you the most even wear and the longest life out of your tyres.