Checking the Tyres

One of the most important maintenance jobs you can carry out is making sure that your tyres are in good condition and up to the job. You should check your tyres once a week to make sure they are in good condition, and have them rotated every 6,000 miles. Not only is it dangerous to drive on tyres that are incorrectly inflated or in poor condition, but it is illegal to drive on worn tyres that have a tread of less than 1.6 mm. You may be fined up to £2,500 per tyre and receive 3 penalty points on your licence.

Checking the Tyre Tread and Condition

The minimum legal tread depth for your tyres is 1.6 mm, across the central three-quarters of the tread going around the complete circumference of the tyre. However, it is recommended that you replace your tyres well before this legal limit is reached; at least at 2 mm and preferably at 3 mm.

You can check your tyre tread by using a tyre gauge, or by simply inserting a ten-pence coin; the tread should cover the coin just past the dotted line that runs around its face. Make sure that you test the tread in different places across the width of the tyre. Some tyres are fitted with a tread wear indicator; a raised strip of rubber between the tread pattern; when the tyre wears down to the level of the strip, it's time to get it changed. Read on to find out how to change a wheel ...

When you check the tyre tread, you should also inspect the tyre for wear, cracking, cuts, bulging or objects such as glass or nails embedded in the tread. Always remember to check the spare tyre at the same time.

Checking the Tyre Pressure

There are three major reasons why it is important to ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure:

1. Safety - over-inflated tyres may cause poor road handling, whilst under-inflated tyres can overheat.
2. Efficiency - under-inflated tyres need more fuel to maintain the same speed, and both under- and over-inflated tyres suffer more damage than those with the correct pressure.
3. Wear and Tear - incorrectly inflated tyres wear unevenly and prematurely.

The correct tyre pressure for your car will be shown in the owner's manual, and may also be found inside of your vehicle's front right hand door or fuel filler cap. The measurement will usually be shown in psi (pounds per square inch) or bars. It is quite normal for the pressure on front and back tyres to be different. You should aim to check the pressure of your tryes (including the spare tyre) regularly; at least once a fortnight, but preferably every week. Air tends to escape from a tyre at the rate of up to two pounds of air every month - more in warm weather.

You should always check pressure when the tyres are cold; you will get a falsely high reading if you check them after driving for more than a few minutes. This means that if you drive to a garage to check and fill your tyres, you must wait a few minutes for them to cool down before you test them.

If the pressure is low, connect a pump or an air line on a garage forecourt to inflate the tyre to its correct pressure. If the pressure is too high, you can reduce it by pressing the pin in the centre of the tyre valve to let some air out.

Rotating Your Tyres

Rotating your car tyres (swapping them to different wheel positions on your car) ensures that you get consistent wear from all of the tyres. Your owner's manual will specify how often this should be done; in general, most recommend rotating them every six thousand miles.