Tires factory fitted to vehicles of this brand are equipped with half-inch (about 13 mm) wear control bands that become visible when the tread is wiped down to a depth of 1.6 mm. The degree of tread wear can also be determined using a simple and inexpensive device known as a tread wear indicator - ask your car accessories store.
Pay attention to any abnormal wear on the treads. The presence of irregular tread defects, such as cavities, flattened sections, more severe wear on one side, etc. indicates a violation of the balance or adjustment of the angles of the front wheels. If you find this kind of characteristic tread defects, drive the car to a tire shop to correct the violations.
Look carefully for cuts, punctures, nails stuck in the tread pattern and small stones on the tires. In some cases, the wheel after a puncture continues to hold pressure due to the fact that the nail stuck in the tire plugs the hole with its own body. If the wheel starts to slowly deflate regularly, first of all check the condition and serviceability of the inflation valve (nipple). Next, inspect the protector for the presence of a nail or other foreign object stuck in the puncture, as well as failed repair plugs (radial tires are often repaired by fitting special repair plugs into the holes). If a wheel puncture is suspected, it can be easily checked with a solution of soapy water - after wetting the surface of the tire with soapy water, soap bubbles will begin to appear at the puncture site. If the defect is not too extensive, the wheel can usually be repaired at a tire shop.
Carefully inspect the inner walls of each tire for traces of brake fluid. If any are found, immediately check the condition of the brake lines and mechanisms.
Inflating your tires to the correct pressure can significantly extend their life, as well as noticeably improve driving comfort. The correct inflation pressure of the wheels cannot be reliably determined by eye, especially when it comes to radial tires. This requires a special pressure gauge. Try to always keep one in the glove box of the car. You should not trust the readings of pressure gauges installed on the nozzles of the wheel inflation hoses at gas stations.
Always check tire pressure when the tires are cold. This means that after the last use of the car (with a run length of more than 1.5 km) must be at least three hours. An increase in pressure in hot tires by 0.27 - 0.5 atm. is normal.
Remove the protective cap from the inflation valve protruding from the disk/hub and firmly press the manometer nozzle onto it. Read the instrument reading and compare the measurement result with the data indicated on the nameplate attached to the driver's door pillar. Do not forget to screw the protective cap onto the valve to prevent dirt and moisture from entering the nipple. Check the pressure in all four tires, adjust if necessary.
Do not forget to maintain the required pressure in the reserve as well (refer to the vehicle owner's manual or printed on the side wall of the tire).
This map of typical tread wear patterns will help you determine the condition of your vehicle's tires, presumably to determine the cause (s) wear and choose measures to eliminate them.
State | Possible reason | Corrective actions |
Edge wear | Insufficient tire pressure (wear on both sides of the tread) Wrong camber (one-sided wear) Sharp cornering behavior Neglect of wheel rotation | Measure and correct pressure Repair or replace axle or suspension components Reduce your speed when cornering Rotate the wheels |
Fraying the edges of the pattern End wear | Incorrect wheel alignment | Adjust convergence |
Central wear | Tires inflated Neglect of wheel rotation | Measure and correct pressure Rotate the wheels |
Uneven wear | Incorrect camber or caster angle (run-out) wheels Faulty suspension Wheel unbalanced Ovality of the brake drum Neglect of wheel rotation | Repair or replace axle or suspension components Repair or replace its components Balance or change wheel Turn or replace the drum Rotate the wheels |