How long do tyres last on a car

What damages tyres? Do I need to change now? How do I inspect my tyres? Other tips and advice. Read more. You are using a website browser that is not supported by this website. The tyre tread is the raised section that touches the ground when you drive. As a tyre ages and wears down, the tread is worn off. This reduces its effectiveness and safety. The grooves in the tread are specially designed to keep you safe in a range of driving conditions.

In fact, there are a variety of different tread patterns for this reason: some patterns are optimised for driving on snow, or to reduce noise or increase grip. The grooves in tyres also allow water to be expelled to prevent hydroplaning.

This creates a thin barrier of water between the tyre and the ground, causing the car to skid across the wet road. An easy way to check your tread pattern is to put a coin into the groove to see how deep it is.

You can also check by running your hand over the tread and making sure you can feel all the grooves. Look for a tread wear indicator on your tyre, usually marked by a triangle on the sidewall of the tyre. Inside one of the grooves in line with that triangle, you will see or feel a raised section which indicates the minimum depth of the tread.

If the rest of the tyre is level with this raised section, your tyre is due for replacement. We organise the technology, damage cover and support so you can safely rent out your car and earn an income. Park your car away from direct sunlight. This will minimise the damaging effects of UV rays on the rubber. Check that each tyre is wearing at a similar rate. Remember, the age of your tyre starts from the manufactured date, not from the period you have it fitted.

On the contrary, any significant loss in tread depth should be treated seriously, as should any other physical defects cracking, bulging, etc. For most tyres, a replacement will ultimately be triggered by tread wear. However, adverse environmental, operational or storage conditions can make it a replacement tyre necessary before the tread is worn to the legal limit.

Tyres should be inspected at least monthly and attention should be paid to tyres that are used infrequently. Some tyre and vehicle manufacturers make recommendations regarding the maximum age of tyres in use. This guidance should always be respected. No trips to the garage.

No need to cancel your plans. Stop and start driving on busy roads, sudden braking, sharp cornering and making tyres spin on take-off all reduce the lifespan of your tyres.

This may be due to your driving technique, where you live city or country and the quality of roads you drive on. If you drive more frequently than others, your tyres will also deteriorate faster. How you load your vehicle can also play a part in tyre wear. Improper loading or overloading will negatively impact the lifespan of your tyres. Temperature affects the air pressure in your tyres.

If the temperature outside starts to drop, especially coming out of warmer months, you can also expect tyres to begin to deflate. Any change in temperature can have an impact on air pressure. An increase in temperature will artificially inflate your tyres, while colder temperatures will begin to deflate them.