Is It OK to Mismatch Tires? Do Tire Brands Matter? Can I Put Different Tires on My Car?

Is It OK to Mismatch Tires? Do Tire Brands Matter? Can I Put Different Tires on My Car?

When refilling your tire air, you notice that one of your tires isn’t retaining air correctly. On closer inspection, you realize the tire has a puncture on its sidewall and needs to be replaced. What happens if you can’t find a perfect match for the new tire -- or you can't afford a full set of four tires? Can you drive on tires with mismatched treads? What about using a different tire size on the front or back of a car? 

Replacing a single tire on a vehicle is, unfortunately, a reality, especially during tougher economic times. And, yes, it will obviously be far less expensive than replacing all four tires, but there are significant downsides to driving on a tire that isn’t the same brand, size, tread type or age as the rest of your tires. 

In this article, we’ll answer the most common questions about replacing one tire on a car. We’ll talk about the potential dangers of replacing one tire with a different brand of tire, a different tread type, or a different tire size. 

Before we go on, if you need help paying for a full set of tires, go to our PayPair page. There you'll find roughly a dozen ways to pay for your tires, like zero down, flexible payment terms, and options for people with no or low credit scores.

What Does Mismatched Tires Mean?

Mismatched tires could mean several things, such as different brands, different tire tread types, different sizes, and even different tire ages. Typically, the question of mismatching tires comes up when tires go bad. Why would anyone want to mismatch tires?

• Budget: It's cheaper to replace one or two tires, rather than all four.
• Mods: Some vehicle owners intentionally mismatch tires as part of modifications to achieve a certain look or performance.
• OEM staggered setup: Staggered setups are often part of performance or sport packages, not base trims, on vehicles such as Corvette, Ford Mustang, and Porsche Cayenne Turbo, to name a few.  

Mismatched tires on 4WD

Four wheel drive (4WD) vehicles apply power to all four wheels to make the vehicle move. The problem with mismatching tires on a 4WD vehicle comes from the differences in tread or tire sizes. Even small differences caused by mismatched tire sizes or unequal tread wear can cause wheels to rotate at different speeds, which can damage other components of the vehicle (especially if it was not designed for it). The drivetrain, which is responsible for applying power to the wheels, may get damaged as it’s forced to compensate.

Learn more about how mismatched tires and misaligned wheels can damage a vehicle's suspension.

Bottom line: Mismatched tires are a no-no for most 4WD vehicles.

Mismatched tires on AWD

All wheel drive (AWD) vehicles, similar to 4WD, can apply power to any of the four wheels of a car. The main difference is that AWD is adaptive and automatic with its power application, unlike 4WD cars, which constantly apply power to all four wheels when 4WD is engaged. AWD vehicles, on the other hand, always monitor and adjust to driving conditions, which is why mismatched tires can cause constant strain.  

Mismatched tires on an AWD vehicle will similarly cause damage to the drivetrain as the automatic AWD system engages. The AWD normally monitors your wheels and may incorrectly sense that more power needs to be applied to a front or rear wheel due to differences in tire size or tread type. The result can potentially cause serious damage to your car.

Bottom line: Mismatched tires can quickly confuse an AWD system and lead to expensive drivetrain repairs. Don't do it.

Mismatched tires on FWD

With front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles, you still have to be careful when mismatching tires. Most cars have internal systems like a TCS (traction control system) and ABS (anti-lock braking systems) that automatically senses if one of your tires is slipping. These systems are designed to function with four matched tire sizes and tread types. At the very least, ensure that the front two and back two tires match. But understand it may still be dangerous to have four tires that aren’t matched. 

Bottom line: Even on FWD cars, mismatched tires can interfere with traction control and other safety systems, putting you at risk. Proceed with caution.

Do All 4 Tires Need To Be the Same?

In an ideal situation, yes, as replacement tires with the same size, tread type, brand and age minimize the risk of your vehicle’s internal systems sensing a misalignment and making an incorrect adjustment. But it’s possible for your front two and your back two tires to be mismatched in brand with a FWD vehicle. 

Still, it's not recommended. Even tires with the same tread type can differ and offer slightly different rolling circumferences and manufacturing differences. All of that can impact handling, traction and your vehicle's braking abilities.

Bottom line: We do not recommend mismatching tire brands on any type of vehicle.

You can learn more about how to manage tire treadwear in this article on the importance of tire rotation.

Brand: Why Does Tire Brand Matter?

Tire brands differ in tread designs and material quality. An all-season touring tire from one brand may not be made equally to an all-season touring tire from another brand … even if they’re the same size! Brands will have their own unique tread patterns that will be optimized for different situations and purposes. Even slight variations between all four of your tire tread types can cause one or more tires to wear down unevenly because of the differences in traction, rolling resistance, sidewall stiffness, age and materials. 

That said, you don’t have to stick with the OEM tires of your car. Your original equipment manufacturer tires are the tires that come with your vehicle. You can learn more about OEM Tires & Wheels here, but the important thing is that it’s ok to replace your tires eventually with a different brand. The danger comes from replacing each of your tires with a different brand.

Bottom line: Most vehicles are designed and engineered to drive on four tires that are equal in size and tread, so mismatched tires can weaken and even damage your vehicle's drivetrain, handling and suspension.    

Size: Can You Put Different Size Tires on Front and Back?

Sometimes, drivers will purposely put differently sized tires on the front and back of a car. The tires on the same axle are still matched, but the two in the front and the two in the back have different sizes. This is called a staggered setup. 

A staggered vehicle setup puts wider wheels/tires on the rear or front, while narrower tires are on the other end. Staggered setups are used on vehicles that need to accelerate quickly in a straight line at the sacrifice of additional stability and traction. They're also used in performance vehicles to improve rear traction. A staggered setup can potentially be dangerous for this reason. 

For passenger vehicles, tires should follow the vehicle manufacturer's guidelines for size, load index, and speed rating. That's because driving a vehicle with mismatched tire sizes, load indexes, or speed ratings could put you and others on the road in danger. It's best to consult a trained tire professional or follow the car manufacturer's specifications.

One critical element when mixing tire sizes is to have the same size and tread pattern across the same axle. That means installing identical tires on the front axle and matching tires on the rear. Mixing tires sizes can result in your vehicle being imbalanced and uncomfortable to drive. It can also harm your vehicle’s fuel efficiency as additional power is applied to compensate for the mismatched tire size. 

Bottom line: Yes, you can put different size tires on the front or back, only if the vehicle was designed for such a fitment; otherwise, it's not recommended. Never put two different size tires on the same axle. 

Tread: Can you put different tread types on a vehicle?

To maintain the best control and stability, you should avoid mixing tires with different tread patterns, internal constructions, or sizes. Use identical tires on all of your vehicle's wheel positions. There are rare exceptions to this rule, is with some high-performance sports cars; however, even then, manufacturers recommend tread patters should match on both axles.

Bottom line: In general, don't mix tread types or tire and rim sizes on your car. Never mix all-season or summer tires with winter tires or run-flat tires with non-run-flat tires.

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