Checking your tyres regularly is important for several reasons
Drivers have been urged to inspect their tyres closely as some common faults could cause you to fail your MOT. Experts at Falken Tyre have shared some key aspects of your tyres that you should check regularly.
Andreas Giese, chief corporate officer at Falken Tyre Europe, said: “Tyres play an important role in road safety because they are the only part of the car that is in direct contact with the road. If your tyres are worn, incorrectly inflated or damaged, then there is a bigger risk of increased braking distances, less grip and stability, particularly in wet or slippery conditions.”
He warned that issues with tyres are a common reason for MOT failures, but there are some simple checks you can do ahead of when your car goes in for its MOT, to avoid being caught out.
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Tyre pressures
Under-inflated tyres could mean you fail your MOT. Motorists should also check their pressures regularly to ensure you get the best fuel economy, handling and braking.
Making sure your tyres are sufficiently inflated can also reduce the chance of uneven wear on your tyres, which can also mean an MOT failure.
Tyre tread
The legal tread depth limit is 1.6mm. An easy way to check this is using a gauge or by slotting a 20p piece into the tread.
If you can see any part of the coin’s outer rim, your tread is below the legal limit, and you will fail your MOT
Inspect the tyre sidewalls
Damage to the tyre as bulges or cuts on the side can be a sign of structural damage and therefore may result in a fail on an MOT test.
Mr Giese said: “As it affects the structure of the tyre, it’s recommended to replace tyres with sidewall damage as soon as possible.”
Deep cuts or exposed cords
Any damage to the tread or tyre shoulders that exposes cords or ply will mean you fail your MOT. Tyres with such damage need to be replaced immediately.
You should also look out for any sharp objects embedded in your tyres.
TPMS check
If your car has a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), this will be check by the MOT tester. You should check the system is working properly and that all the sensors are functioning.
On top of these checks, Mr Giese spoke about some other issues related to your tyres that could result in an MOT failure.
He said: “This includes different sizes tyres on the same axle or your tyres not meeting a speed rating of at least 70 mph or load rating for your vehicle.”