Buying RAV4 tires at Les Schwab: free changeovers, the warranty and what it really costs

A lot of RAV4 owners in the West buy their winter tires at Les Schwab because the changeovers are free. But the wording on Les Schwab's web pages is loose. It's easy to come away thinking the wheels have to come from Les Schwab too.

In this guide I'll go through what Les Schwab does free with its tires, in Les Schwab's own words, and what still costs money. I'll also cover the tread warranty fine print, what customers report, and the questions worth asking your store before you buy.

What Les Schwab's free changeover actually covers

Les Schwab's tire warranty is the paper that comes with your invoice. It's form FM 702, revised July 2024. The warranty is the document that decides what's free, and it says two things about changeovers:

• "Free seasonal tire changeovers are valid on premounted Covered Tires only."
• "Les Schwab winter tires already mounted on separate wheels will be installed and removed free of charge. If mounting/dismounting on wheels or balancing is required, additional charges will be included for those services."

The warranty defines Covered Tires as the tires "listed on the attached original invoice." So the free swap comes down to where you bought the tires, not the wheels. Nothing in the warranty says the wheels have to come from Les Schwab.

Les Schwab's web pages say it more loosely. The seasonal changeovers page says swaps are free "when you have your tires mounted on their own set of wheels (rims)." And the winter wheels page says "When you have Les Schwab tires mounted to their own wheels, seasonal changeovers are free." Just keep in mind the warranty is the one that counts.

If your winter tires and regular tires share one set of wheels, every swap means taking the tires off the wheels and mounting the other set. For that work, Les Schwab says "we charge based on your vehicle and the tires being dismounted and mounted." Les Schwab doesn't publish a dollar figure for that charge.

If you bought your tires somewhere else and they're already on their own wheels, Les Schwab's pages don't say whether the swap is free. It's best to ask your store.

A few more things from the changeovers page:

• Appointments. "An appointment is not necessary, but it is recommended."
• Wait times. "The wait time can be hours depending on the time of year and the number of customers ahead of you."
• Lug nuts. "Don't forget to bring the lug nuts, too." Keep in mind that if your winter wheels are aftermarket wheels, they often need different lug nuts than your factory wheels. I go through that in my guide to a second set of wheels for winter tires.
• Tire pressure sensors. Les Schwab says federal rules mean the store has to install tire and wheel sets with working tire pressure sensors, "including custom wheels and winter sets." So if your winter wheels don't have sensors yet, you'll want to ask the store before you go in. My RAV4 tire pressure light guide covers how a RAV4 learns a second set of sensors.

What's free with Les Schwab tires

Here's what Les Schwab's tire warranty lists as free for the life of tires you buy there, with the conditions in Les Schwab's own words:

The road hazard coverage is the standout. Les Schwab counts "rocks, nails, potholes, unexpected debris, or glass" as road hazards, and replaces a damaged tire at 100% with no time limit. That coverage applies as long as the tread is above 2/32".

Costco's road hazard coverage runs 5 years, and Discount Tire's is prorated.

Les Schwab also says it values a free rebalance at up to $80 on an SUV, and a free rotation at up to $35. Any Les Schwab store honors the warranty, which helps on a road trip around the West. And Les Schwab will retorque your lug nuts free anytime.

What costs money at Les Schwab

• The first balance. The first balance is built into the installed price of new tires.
• Valve stem and tire pressure sensor service, and tire disposal. Les Schwab's tire pages list valve stem and tire pressure sensor service, and tire disposal, as separate fees.
• Studding. Les Schwab's tire pages list studding at about $19.99 to $20.99 a tire.
• Storage. Les Schwab stores a set for $124.95 a season, for up to 6 months, then $30 for every 30 days after that. Just keep in mind that lug nuts aren't included.
• A real alignment and brake work. The free checks at Les Schwab are visual only. Les Schwab says "Alignment prices vary," and Les Schwab doesn't price match brake work.
• Changeovers when the tires share wheels. Les Schwab charges for a changeover based on your vehicle.

If you bought your tires somewhere else, Les Schwab still balances them "for a small fee," and says "there may be a charge" for a rotation. And Les Schwab doesn't publish either of those prices. One customer reported paying $109 in 2025 to mount and balance four tires bought somewhere else.

The tread warranty fine print

Les Schwab's tread warranty is prorated. If a tire wears down to 2/32" before its warranty miles, Les Schwab gives you credit or cash based on the miles you didn't get. For example, a 50,000-mile tire that wears out at 40,000 miles gets you 20% of what you paid, not counting federal excise tax.

The warranty miles depend on which tire you buy. Many winter tires don't come with a mileage warranty from the tire maker. So it's best to ask your store whether your winter tires get one and how many miles.

Les Schwab's tread warranty doesn't cover wear from "misuse or abuse, misalignment or tires out of balance, over or underinflation, repairs, off-road use or use on unpaved roads, use on commercial vehicles, excessive loading, vehicle accidents, or tire contact with curbs, poles, garbage bins." You'll want to pay attention to the "use on unpaved roads" part if you drive your RAV4 on gravel or forest roads.

Skipping rotations also voids the warranty, so you'll want to get the tires rotated about every 5,000 miles. Hang on to your original invoice too, because the warranty "is not valid unless accompanied by the Covered Tires and the attached original invoice." Keep in mind the warranty only covers the original buyer.

Winter tires, studs and chains at Les Schwab

In Oregon, studded tires are legal from November 1 through March 31, and the fine from April 1 is $165. Studding new studdable tires at Les Schwab runs about $19.99 to $20.99 a tire. Les Schwab doesn't say whether the shop studs tires you bought somewhere else, so it's best to ask at the counter.

Les Schwab chains come with a one-year defect warranty, and you can return unused chains for a refund. Les Schwab's chain warranty says you can "return them to any Les Schwab Tire Center after April 1 for a refund of the original purchase price provided the chains are in the original packaging and in new condition." Something to note is the chain warranty doesn't cover damage from "driving speeds in excess of 30 mph."

For picking the actual winter tire, my RAV4 snow tires guide compares the top picks. And if you want the rugged look in winter, my rugged winter tires guide covers that side of things.

How Les Schwab's prices compare

Les Schwab only shows tire prices after you pick a store on its website, so the easiest way to get Les Schwab's price is to pick your store or call. For comparison, in late October 2026, Discount Tire listed the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 in 225/65R17 at $164 a tire and the Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV in 225/65R17 at $190 a tire. That's the 17-inch winter size I recommend in my 17 vs 18-inch wheels guide.

Keep in mind those Discount Tire prices are for the tire alone. Discount Tire adds a separate install charge. Costco includes installation with tires bought at Costco, but says tire pressure sensor service fees may apply. Online stores like Tire Rack ship the tires to you, so you still pay a local shop to mount them.

When you compare, you'll want to ask each shop for the out-the-door price for four tires, with installation, sensor service and disposal included. Then weigh what comes free afterward. At Les Schwab, that's the free swaps, rotations, flat repairs and road hazard coverage for the life of the tires.

What customers say about Les Schwab

Keep in mind these are owner reports from review sites, so they're a rough guide rather than any kind of test:

• Trustpilot. Les Schwab sits at 3.0 out of 5 from 118 reviews on Trustpilot, with 59% one-star and 35% five-star. Trustpilot notes that Les Schwab doesn't invite reviews, so the reviews lean toward people with a complaint. The reviews that praise Les Schwab mention fast service and the warranty. The complaints are mostly about long waits and upselling.
• Better Business Bureau. Les Schwab Tire Center holds an A+ rating there, though the chain isn't accredited. Les Schwab had 161 complaints in 3 years across the whole chain of more than 540 stores. The most common complaint on the first page was damage during service, followed by upselling.

Customers mostly praise Les Schwab's free flat repairs and the friendly staff. The complaints come down to long waits and the occasional damage or pushy upsell.

Questions to ask your Les Schwab store before you buy

1. If I buy winter tires here and you mount them on wheels I bought somewhere else, are the fall and spring swaps free?
2. If I bought the tires somewhere else but they're already on their own wheels, what would a swap cost?
3. What's the out-the-door price for four winter tires in my RAV4's size, including the valve stem, tire pressure sensor and disposal fees?
4. My winter wheels need tire pressure sensors. What would four sensors cost, and can you program them as a second set?
5. Do you price match Discount Tire or Costco?
6. Do these winter tires come with a mileage warranty, and if so, how many miles?
7. Will you stud tires I didn't buy here, and what would that cost?
8. How far out are changeover appointments booking right now?

About Les Schwab

Les Schwab started in 1952 in Prineville, Oregon, and moved its headquarters to Bend in 2008. The company has more than 540 stores in 15 states.

The Schwab family sold the company to the Meritage Group, a San Francisco investment firm, in 2020.

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