Any damage or wear to the tyres can have an adverse effect on this contact and on how much control you have over the vehicle. This is why it’s so important to maintain the condition of the tyres on your car, so that they remain safe to be driven on.
Even if you have just invested in a new set of Continental tyres for your vehicle, this does not mean that you can afford to be complacent. You can drive over several potholes in the road the day after you have purchased the tyres and do serious damage to them. There are some tips you can follow to make sure that you look after your car’s tyres and that you recognise if there is a problem which needs to be addressed.
Keep a regular check on the tyres
The condition of tyres can change very quickly. Even if you do not experience an issue such as a slow puncture in the tyre, pressure in the tyre alters and needs to be checked regularly. Aside from regular checks, you should also prepare your vehicle for any long trips by checking for any potentially serious issues such as problems with wheel alignment.
The importance of checking tyre pressures
As we mentioned earlier, checking tyre pressures is a regular action that you should take if you own a vehicle. Most experts recommend that tyre pressures should be checked at least once a month, but checking them more often than this is a good idea. It’s important to remember that changes in temperature can have an effect on tyre pressures, so it’s a good idea to carry out additional checks if sudden changes in the weather occur.
You can read your owner’s manual to see what the correct tyre pressures are for your vehicle. Once you have done so, you then need to see if the pressures are correct, using a pressure gauge.
Make sure that the tyres are professionally maintained on a regular basis
If you take note of the experts, you should have the tyres on your car checked every year, as soon as they are five years old. It’s also a good idea to keep a check on the tyres yourself, so that you can seek expert advice, as soon as you believe that there may be a problem. For instance, if you spot that the wear on the tread is uneven, you may find that there is a problem with the wheel alignment or that the wheels are not balanced correctly.
Make sure that there is enough tread depth on the tyres
It’s important to remember that legally there must be at least 1.5mm of tread depth on tyres for you to be able to drive on them. Keep check of the tyres on your vehicle and make sure that they are replaced when the tread depth reaches 1.6mm, so that you and your family can remain safe.
Make sure the sidewalls of the tyres are in good condition
If there is a crack in the sidewall of a tyre, or a bulge, the tyre has to be replaced. Not replacing a tyre in this condition can be extremely dangerous when anyone comes to drive the car. If you bump the sidewall of a tyre hard, it’s a good idea to get it checked out by a mechanic, just in case there is any damage which is not visible.
Do not forget that the tyres are the part of your car which comes into contact with the surface of the road when you drive. If there is damage to the tyre, or the tyre pressure is not as it should be, this contact can be adversely affected and driving can become dangerous.
