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Summer Tire Change: A Complete Guide

Summer Tire Change: A Complete Guide

September 09 2025

For Quebec drivers who are subject to Mother Nature's sometimes volatile temperament, no one is exempt: switching from summer tires to winter tires is mandatory! Not only is this essential for your safety and that of your passengers, but it also helps to protect other road users and to avoid legal repercussions, including a fine of $200 to $300.

For this reason, the dates for a summer tire change are fixed and must be legally observed by all drivers each year.

In Quebec, it is mandatory to have winter tires mounted before December 1^st and to keep them until March 15, inclusively, under penalty of a fine. The summer tire change in spring, however, is not regulated by law.

Below are more details on this subject with your Volkswagen dealer, Complexe VW 440 in Laval, on the North Shore of Montreal, near Terrebonne and Montreal-North.

When to Change your Summer Tires?

Your summer tire change must be completed before December 1^st, and you must keep your winter tires until March 15 inclusively to avoid fines. These are the legal dates; in practice, it is recommended to install winter tires at the end of October or the beginning of November and to change to summer tires once temperatures stabilize around 7 degrees Celsius (generally in April), otherwise you risk accidents due to a lack of traction.

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Steps to Change your Summer Tires

Here are a few key steps for an efficient summer tire change, along with practical advice.

Preparation and Safety

To ensure your safety, it is imperative to park your vehicle on a flat, secure surface, engage the handbrake fully, and use wheel chocks to immobilize the car. You can then prepare your tools and position the jack at the designated lifting point before proceeding with the wheel change.

Necessary Tools

For your summer tire change to winter tires, you will need several tools:

Wheel chocks
A jack
A lug wrench (and anti-theft tool if necessary)
A correctly sized socket
A torque wrench (to tighten the bolts to the proper torque)
Work gloves
A cloth
A wheel repair kit (if necessary)
Etc.

If you are wondering how to read a tire and inflate it, it is also highly recommended to have a gauge at home and an air compressor to adjust your tire pressure according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Practical Tips and Tricks

Although replacing summer tires is not rocket science, improper installation can cause numerous issues such as premature and uneven tire wear, as well as posing risks to your safety and that of your passengers. That is why many drivers choose to entrust this task to trusted mechanics.

Certainly, there are no legal ramifications regarding the summer tire change in Quebec during spring, which technically means you have the right to drive with your winter tires year-round. However, you must understand that it is strongly discouraged to do so for reasons of safety and cost effectiveness.

From a safety perspective, winter tires lose their grip on warm roads, leading to significantly longer braking distances and an increased risk of hydroplaning. Economically, you will wear out the rubber faster, in addition to incurring higher fuel consumption.

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If you still have questions about when to change your winter tires or summer tires, or if you would like to entrust us with your summer tire change in 2025, do not hesitate to contact your Volkswagen dealer, Complexe VW 440 in Laval, on the North Shore of Montreal, near Terrebonne and Montreal-North.

A team of experts is ready to help you with any tire-related needs or other services, and to inform you about current Volkswagen special offers in Laval and the benefits of Volkswagen financing options. See you soon!

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