There is no way to tell exactly how long a tyre lasts. The lifespan and mileage of a tyre depends on a combination of factors: its design, the driver’s habits, the climate, the road conditions and the care that’s put into the tyres.
The millennial mentality of ‘crossing the bridge when we come to it’ is no different even when it comes to basic car knowledge (spoken from experience). However, recognising car tyre problems without relying on your scheduled car servicing mechanic running the eventual diagnostic can help you avoid accidents due to worn out tyres.
Here are several common noticeable car tyre problems that you will or may have encountered throughout your driving life and what you should know about them.
My tyre seems flat
Most punctures of nail holes or cuts up to 6mm confined to the tread may be repaired by a tyre professional using industry-approved procedures. This problem is as pretty straightforward as they would come. If you notice the problem early on, you could probably still make it to the nearest workshop to get it checked out. Otherwise, your spare tyre should come into temporary play until you can get it sorted. A quick patch-up job would get her done if the damage isn’t too far in. No need to go replace one single tyre with a new one yet lah.
My tyre feels soft
Sometimes your tyre may feel flat, however once you’ve scoped the exterior, you don’t see any punctured nails and whatnot. This just means, you need to add air to your tyre until it reaches the proper air pressure at the petrol station then settle dy. Do not sweep this under the rug though as low-inflated tyres can affect the performance and health of the tyre.
The tyre tread looks frail
If you find any wear and tear in the centre of the tyre walls or any uneven wear, take air out of your tyre, using a tyre-pressure gauge, until your air pressure reading matches your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended psi. Most likely you are only facing a minor tyre air pressure issue.
The sidewall looks damaged
If you find slight indentations on the outer walls of the tyre. Fret not, this is not a problem. It is the normal radial sidewall. Indentations are quite natural on radial tyres (most tyres) and will not affect performance. Your tyres feature one or more layers of fabric cord within the sidewall construction that run parallel to each other. (Steel cords are used within the tread.) Where the cords overlap, there is often slight indentation.
However, if you notice any bulges or bubbles caused by punctures, nail holes or cuts, this will require a quick trip to the workshop for a repair job. So do not brush the issue off once spotted.