When To Change Your Tyres?




Changing Your Tyres

Over time, all tyres wear out or become damaged and will eventually need replacing. As soon as this happens, it’s time to change your tyres. How soon this happens depends on how well you look after them. The main causes of tyre damage are braking suddenly (especially when driving at high speeds), incorrect tyre pressure and overloading your vehicle.







Tyre Lifespan

It’s impossible to put an exact figure on how long a tyre will last. Firstly, a tyre’s lifespan will vary depending on the quality of the tyre. Premium tyres are likely to last a lot longer than a set of budget tyres, regardless of your driving style. You don’t want to be shelling out twice as often for the sake of buying budget tyres if you drive regularly. A good set of tyres should last for several years if you look after them well.

How to Maximise the Lifespan of Your Tyres

  • Tyre Pressure: Driving with optimum tyre pressure is recommended for many reasons including handling, fuel efficiency and safety. Not only that, but if your tyres are not suitably inflated, you will reduce their lifespan. Therefore, you should regularly check your tyre pressure and make sure it is inflated to the recommended level. Under-inflated tyres are prone to uneven tread wearing on the shoulders of the tyre, whereas over-inflated tyres will cause reduced tread life at the centre of the tyre. Not only that, but incorrect tyre pressure will also increase the likelihood of tyre blowout and may also risk damage to your tyre’s internal structure.
  • Driving Style: Excessive accelerating, aggressive cornering and hard braking will cause your tyres to deteriorate quickly. You should always be able to enjoy driving, but doing so with a relaxed style ensures your tyre’s lifespan will be extended as long as possible.
  • Overloading: There will always be times when you will have to carry a lot of weight in your car, whether that’s moving homes, picking up new furniture or going on holiday. But when you can reduce the weight in your car, your tyres will thank you for it. A lighter load will reduce the pressure on your tyres, which in turn will reduce the speed at which your tyre tread deteriorates. Remember to check your owner’s handbook for laden inflation pressures.
  • Wheel Alignment: Tyres that are not aligned straight and in parallel with each other will wear unevenly and more quickly. If your car ever pulls slightly to one side, the chances are you will need to realign your tyres. It’s quite an easy process and most tyre fitting centres will be able to identify and rectify it if there is any issue with your wheel alignment. 
  • Tyre Rotation: Rotating your tyres from front to back can help extend their life and ensure a more even wear on all four tyres. Your front tyres often wear out faster than the ones at the back and it’s a good idea to rotate your tyres every 6,000 miles or so.






How do I know if my tyres need replacing?

  • Tread Depth: The number one reason most tyres need replacing is when the tread depth has gone beyond the legal limit of 1.6mm for cars in the UK.
  • Uneven Wear Patterns: If you’re seeing uneven wear patterns on your tyres, you should look into why that is the case. This could be due to over or under-inflation or misalignment of your wheels.
  • Replace All Four at Once: it’s a good idea to replace all four tyres at once. For optimum handling and control we recommend they are all the same type and size, unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
  • Tyre Bulges, Blisters or Cuts: If you see any cuts, bulges or blisters on your tyres, they should be changed as soon as possible as they can cause your tyre to fail or blowout.  
  • Tyre Punctures: While some punctures can be repaired, large punctures (greater than 6mm in a passenger tyre) should not be repaired and the tyre should be replaced instead.

Can I Replace Just One Tyre?

It is not recommended to replace just one tyre at a time. The most obvious reason not to replace just one tyre is to avoid mixing different tyre sizes or types. For example, if you have a set of all season tyres and you replace one tyre with a summer tyre, your handling will become unpredictable and ultimately dangerous, especially when it comes to braking or driving in hazardous weather.

Secondarily, you do not want to introduce a new tyre that will have significantly different wear to the other tyres on your car. This will cause issues when it comes to braking or driving in different weather conditions.

Tips for buying replacement tyres

  • Different speed ratings: It’s not recommended to fit tyres with different speed ratings. However, if they are fitted with different speed ratings they should be installed with like pairs on the same axle.
  • Load-carrying capacity: make sure replacement tyres have an equal or greater load-carrying capacity to what the original equipment manufacturer specifies.
  • Make sure they match: if you’re only buying two, make sure the new ones match the tyres you’re keeping, and that this is permitted by your local laws and by the vehicle manufacturer.
  • Put new tyres on the rear axle: for better traction and stability when you drive, if you are only buying two new tyres put them on the rear wheels.






Why Dunlop Tyres?

It’s easy to think that all tyres are made the same. After all, they all need to be made to a standard that will keep you driving safely. But that’s not quite the truth. Some tyres may deteriorate far quicker than a set a good quality, trusted tyres. And that’s where Dunlop excels.

For over 130 years, Dunlop tyres have provided you with great quality features: grip, superior traction and braking performance. Not only that, but Dunlop tyres have proven to perform in some of motorsport’s most challenging 24 hour races, such as Le Mans and Nürburgring.

So with Dunlop tyres, you will get high end performance with the peace of mind that your tyres will not let you down in poor road conditions or hazardous weather.







What Happens To My Old Tyres?

90% of old tyres (also termed ‘end-of life’ tyres) are recycled for energy recovery in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.  




The Right Tyre For You

Tyre Search

Find a Dealer

Store Locator

Technology and Innovation

Find Out More