Tyres
156
Tyres
CARING FOR YOUR TYRES
Care point: If possible, protect
tyres from contamination by oil,
grease, fuel and other automotive
fluids.
Always drive with consideration for the condition of the
tyres, and regularly inspect the tread and side walls for any sign
of distortion (bulges), cuts or wear.
The most common causes of tyre failure are:
DEFECTIVE TYRES ARE
DANGEROUS! Do not drive
if any tyre is damaged, is
excessively worn, or is inflated
to an incorrect pressure.
•
Bumping against kerbs
•
Driving over deep potholes in the road
•
Driving with under or over-inflated tyres
Tyre pressures
Correctly inflated tyres will ensure that you enjoy the best
combination of tyre life, ride comfort, fuel economy and road
handling.
Under-inflated tyres wear more rapidly, can seriously affect
the car’s road handling characteristics and fuel consumption,
as well as increasing the risk of tyre failure. Over-inflated tyres
give a harsher ride, wear unevenly and are more prone to
damage.
Care point: Keep the valve caps
screwed down firmly - they
prevent dirt from entering the
valve. Check the valve for leaks
(listen for a tell-tale hissing)
when you check the tyre
pressure.
Check the pressures (including the spare wheel) at least every
week, when the tyres are cold - be aware that it only takes a
mile (1.6 km) of driving to warm up the tyres sufficiently to
affect the tyre pressures.
Air pressure naturally increases in warm tyres; if it is necessary
to check the tyres when they are warm (after the car has been
driven for a while), you should expect the pressures to have
increased between 4 and 6 lbf/in
2
. In this circumstance,
NEVER let air out of the tyres in order to match the
recommended pressures.
The recommended pressures for cold tyres are shown in
‘Technical Data’ later in the handbook.
Summary of Contents for Seventy Five
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