How to Check Your Tyres Properly | Tread, Wear & Sidewall Damage, by Forecourt Insider on YouTube. 5 min 10 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 10 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Park on flat, level ground and switch off the engine. Pull the handbrake on and, if you can, turn the wheels so the full tread face is easy to reach.
Check tread depth in at least three places across the width of each tyre: the outer edge, the centre and the inner edge. Use a depth gauge or push a 20p coin into the main grooves.
Read the gauge. The legal minimum in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tread around the whole circumference. Replace tyres well before they reach that.
Compare the readings across the tyre. A big difference between the inner and outer edge means uneven wear, often from alignment or suspension problems.
Look along the inner edge of each tyre, which is hidden from view. Run your hand along it and use a torch to spot wear the outer face does not show.
Inspect the sidewalls for cracks, perishing and small splits. Fine cracks in the rubber mean the tyre is ageing and may need replacing even if the tread is fine.
Check for cuts, chunks missing and foreign objects like screws or nails stuck in the tread. Do not pull out a nail yourself, as the tyre may deflate fast.
Feel for bulges or lumps on the sidewall and tread. A bulge means internal damage and the tyre should not be driven on.
Look for the four-digit date code on the sidewall, such as 2321 for week 23 of 2021. Old rubber hardens and cracks, so treat age as part of the condition check.
Repeat on all four tyres and note the readings. If any tyre is near the limit, unevenly worn, cracked or damaged, book a replacement or a garage check.
Tips and common mistakes
Check tyres when they are cold and the car has not moved far, so readings are consistent.
A tyre can be legal at 2mm but still grip poorly in the wet, so plan replacement before the limit.
Inner-edge wear is easy to miss because you cannot see it from the kerb, so always look and feel behind the wheel.
Keep tyres at the pressures listed in your manual or on the fuel flap, as wrong pressure speeds up uneven wear.
Questions
What is the legal minimum tyre tread depth?
In the UK it is 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tread around the whole tyre. Many drivers replace tyres at around 2 to 3mm for better wet grip.
How do I check tread depth without a gauge?
Push a 20p coin into a main groove. If the outer band of the coin is hidden, the tread is likely above the legal limit, but a proper gauge gives a precise reading.
Can I drive with a bulge in the sidewall?
No. A bulge means the internal structure is damaged and the tyre can fail. Fit the spare or call for recovery rather than driving on it.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
