Check the tires regularly for damage in the form of cuts or bulges, especially in the sidewalls. Periodically remove the wheels, clean the inside and outside surfaces from dirt. Examine the inner side surfaces of the wheel rim for signs of rust, corrosion, or other damage. Lightweight wheels with alloy wheels are easily damaged when hitting a curb; steel wheels can also bend. Installing a new wheel is very often the only way to fix serious damage.
New tires should be balanced in the installed position, but may need to be rebalanced as they wear. Unbalanced tires will wear out faster, as will steering and suspension parts. Wheel imbalance is usually expressed by vibration, especially at a certain speed (usually about 80 km/h). If this vibration is felt only through the steering, then it is likely that only the front wheels need to be balanced. However, if the vibration is felt throughout the vehicle, the rear wheels may also be out of balance. Wheel balancing must be carried out at a service station.
Tread depth - visual inspection
1. New tires have tread wear markers (IN), which will appear when the tread depth reaches approximately 1.6 mm. Marker positions are indicated by a triangular mark on the sidewall of the tire (A) (refer to accompanying illustration).
Tread depth - manual control
1. Tread wear can be monitored with a simple, inexpensive device known as a tread depth gauge (refer to accompanying illustration).
Tire pressure monitoring
1. Regularly check the pressure in cold tires. Do not adjust tire pressure. Do not adjust tire pressure immediately after driving (refer to accompanying illustration).
Tread wear
Lateral wear
Insufficient pressure (worn on both sides)
Insufficient pressure causes the tire to overheat because the cord is bent too much and the tread will not sit properly on the road surface. This will cause loss of traction and excessive wear, not to mention the risk of sudden tire failure due to the increase in temperature.
Check and adjust pressure.
Wrong camber (wears out on one side)
Repair or replace suspension parts.
Difficult cornering
Reduce your speed!
Central wear
Pumping
Pumping causes rapid wear of the central part of the tire tread, as well as reduced traction and increased risk of tire blowout.
Check and adjust pressure.
If you occasionally need to inflate your vehicle's tires to higher pressures than those specified for load limit or high speed maintenance, be sure to reduce the pressure to normal afterward.
Uneven wear
The front tires may wear unevenly as a result of wheel misalignment. Most service stations can check and adjust wheel alignment for moderate loads.
Incorrect camber or caster
Repair or replace suspension parts.
Faulty suspension
Repair or replace suspension parts.
Unbalanced wheels
Balance tires.
Incorrect toe setting
Adjust the setting of the front wheels.