Sizzling heat can spell trouble for your car’s tires

When you buy tires, the manufacturer tells you how many miles it’s supposed to last.

Of course, everyone's driving habits are different.

In Florida there is one constant  -- the heat -- which basically leads to burning rubber.

"Being here in Florida it just starts cracking all the way around, and eventually they start to come apart. Just the natural way things go," said Kevin Pickett from Action Gator Tire.

Action Gator Tire showed News 13 the result of tiny cracks known as dry rot, or ozone wearing out the tire's chemicals.
  
That will lead to giant dangerous tears that could open up at around 60 miles per hour.

"As it started peeling like this and losing air, if you are still driving it, yeah it would have had a blow out," Picket said.

Some experts said regardless of how much you drive your car, Florida heat reduces the expected life of a tire by up to half, and just parking your car to save miles might be worse.

"Sometimes a car will be parked and one side of the tires will be dry rot the others will be OK because of the way the sun hits," Pickett said.

So how do you extend tire life? Reviews are mixed on tire protectants.
   
Pickett said a cool garage might be your best chance.

The most important thing is to have extra eyes looking for cracks where you probably don't or can't see.

It’s a good question to ask your mechanic anytime you get an oil change or tire rotation.

There are also a number of items under you hood you want to check in this excessive heat.

Of course some are obvious, like coolants. But you also want to check your belts, hoses and windshield wipers.

Just like your tires, anything made of rubber can crack in the heat.