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How can I check for internal tyre damage?
My car failed its MoT with a "do not drive until repaired" instruction due to a bulge on the inner wall of the nearside rear tyre. I have no dispute with the finding and immediately had the tyre replaced. My question is whether there is any way I could easily detect this type of damage? The tyre had plenty of wear left (between 4 and 5mm) and the pressure (regularly manually checked and no indication from the monitoring system) was correct and stable. This damage might have been there for almost a year while I drive around with my family on board.
Asked on 14 October 2019 by non-stop
Answered by
Dan Powell
Internal tyre damage is perhaps one of the most dangerous hidden defects a car can experience. Not only can it impair the handling (especially in poor weather conditions) but it also greatly increases the risk of a blow out.
It's recommended to inspect your vehicle's tyres once a week. Checking the tread depth is quite easy, with most modern tyres have an inbuilt tread depth indicator, which is next to the central rib on the tread, but it's important to look out for tread and sidewall cracking, bulges and/or abnormal wear.
Sometimes tyre damage will also result in a light vibration through the steering wheel when accelerating or applying the brakes. But sometimes there will be no obvious symptom, which is why a weekly visual check is so important.
It's recommended to inspect your vehicle's tyres once a week. Checking the tread depth is quite easy, with most modern tyres have an inbuilt tread depth indicator, which is next to the central rib on the tread, but it's important to look out for tread and sidewall cracking, bulges and/or abnormal wear.
Sometimes tyre damage will also result in a light vibration through the steering wheel when accelerating or applying the brakes. But sometimes there will be no obvious symptom, which is why a weekly visual check is so important.
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