Tyres

You can prevent wear problems that shorten tyre life by thousands of kilometers by learning to “read” the early warning signs and taking appropriate corrective action. Some tips:

1. Look for tyres with wear on both edges, in the center, uneven wear, sawtooth edges, damage, flat tyre, damage to the side wall (indentation, bulge, bubble), handling (Vibration, pulling to one side, poor steering, poor handling). If rebalancing doesn’t fix the problem, have the alignment and/or suspension components checked.
2. Check your spare regularly for proper air pressure and be sure that it is in good condition.
3. If your vehicle is equipped with one of the several types of temporary spares, be sure to check the spare tyre’s sidewall for the correct inflation pressure, speed, and mileage limitations.
4. It is recommended that you NOT mix radial and non-radial tyres on a vehicle.
5. Most punctures, nail holes, or cuts up to ¼” confined to the tread may be satisfactorily repaired by trained personnel using industry-approved procedures.
6. Always use a new tube for a new tyre.
7. The tyre being used currently should be replaced with a new tyre when the tread wear indicator (1.6mm height) is exposed.
8. For tubeless tyres, ask your service technician to employ the plug method (available at CarZ), which is recommended by most tyre manufacturers.
9. This method is preferred over the filler and the patch methods commonly employed in the Indian market. Applying a patch inside the tyre stops air leakage due to puncture, however the steel belts get exposed to water, moisture, dew, etc. from outside which might lead to cut separation damage.
10. Check the inflation pressures of your tyres at least once a month and before embarking on a long trip.
11. Check tyres at least three hours after they have been driven.

Also, read the sections on Tyre Pressure, Alignment, Balancing & Rotation.