Your tyres are the most important safety feature of your car. They are the only part of your car in constant contact with the road and many accidents are caused by faults in tyres.
If you follow these simple tips you can lower the risk of your tyres causing you any problems and possibly increase the time between needing to change your tyres. Don’t forget to check the spare tyre in your vehicle too if you have one.
Check the tyres air pressure
Keeping your tyres at the correct air pressure can help reduce wearing and improve your cars fuel efficiency, handling, turning and braking. On top of that, a tyre at the wrong pressure is much more susceptible to a more serious blow out which can have a devastating effect if it happens at anything more than a crawling pace. Your tyre will constantly lose pressure so it is important to keep checking the pressure in your tyres even if they are ok now. If you don’t know the recommended pressure for your car, you can find it in the owner’s manual.
To check your tyre pressure you can purchase a pressure gauge from your local auto part retailer or for a simpler approach nearly every petrol station has a tyre pump that includes a pressure gauge. It is important to make sure you don’t lose the dust cap as they offer great protection against the dust and dirt thrown up by the road.
Check the tyres’ tread depth
Having the correct tread on your tyres is an essential safety check. Without it, the car will not have a decent grip on the road, will not break correctly or accelerate as expected and you will likely not be as fuel efficient as normal. Ensure the tread depth on your tyres is above the legal minimum of 1.6mm, remember this will cause your car to fail its MOT test as well as making your car much more dangerous to drive.
Look out for any unusual wear or damage
If you spot any bulges, cuts or tears on your tyres it is essential you get these checked by a professional immediately. Sometimes the tyres can be repaired but often they may need to be replaced altogether. Driving around with tyres like this can often lead to further complications such as a blowout.
Have your wheels aligned
If your wheels are out of alignment, you will very likely get uneven wear on your tyres which can weaken them and make them more prone to damage. It can also reduce your control of the car and increase your fuel consumption. When you are having any tyres checked or replaced make sure that the alignment is checked.
Contact Tyred & Exhausted if you need to get your tyres checked, repaired or replaced.
