VOLVO CAR LEASING LOOKING AFTER YOUR TYRES

Fact Sheet
Volvo Car Leasing
LOOKING AFTER YOUR TYRES
Guidance on how to ensure your tyres
remain in good condition
Tyre condition has a significant impact on your vehicle’s
performance, fuel efficiency and your safety.
This fact sheet offers some straightforward guidance on
tyre maintenance to help you ensure they remain in good
condition, legal and safe.
What’s the law on tyre tread depth?
The minimum legal tread depth for a car tyre is 1.6mm.
This depth must be maintained across the central ¾ of
the breadth of tread in a continuous band around the full
circumference of the tyre.
At Volvo Car Leasing, we recommend a tread depth of no
less than 2mm and to change tyres when they reach this
level to maintain driver safety and vehicle performance.
What are the penalties?
Using a vehicle that has defective tyres on the road can
result in:
•• A fine, up to £2,500 per tyre
•• Three penalty points on your licence
We would recommend that you check your tyre
pressures and tread depths regularly. The correct
tyre pressures for your vehicle can be found in the
manufacturer’s handbook.
Tyre maintenance
Tyres are the only contact you have with the road;
therefore it’s vitally important you regularly check their
condition to make sure all tyres are legal and safe. The
next page recommends a six point tyre check to ensure
your tyres remain in good condition.
We recommend regular checks of tyre condition
and pressure in line with your manufacturer’s
recommendations to prolong the life of your tyres and
improve vehicle safety.
The minimum legal tread depth for a car tyre is 1.6mm.
Six point tyre check
A full check of your tyres on a regular basis is
recommended to help keep them in good condition.
Check all tyres, including the spare for these points:
1. Tyre pressure and valves – maintaining the correct
tyre pressure is an important factor for safety and
longevity of tyres. The incorrect amount of air and
pressure can increase wear, alter vehicle handling
and reduce the tyre’s performance. We advise you
check your tyres monthly and before any long trips
when the tyres are cold. Tyre pressure limits can be
found in your driver manual. Make sure tyre valves and
caps are all present and in good condition. They play
an important role in the tyre’s ability to maintain air
pressure, tyre service-life and vehicle safety
2. Stones or nails – If not removed from the tread,
stones and nails can cause damage and possibly
lead to deflation. However, we recommend that nails
and stones deeply embedded within the tyre are not
removed and are checked over by a tyre specialist, as
removing them could possibly lead to a slow puncture
3.Oil, fuel or paint – these substances can have
harmful effects on the rubber compound used in
tyres. Immediate removal with detergent and water is
recommended
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Replacement tyres
Fact Sheet
4. Damage and ageing – any sort of damage such as
cuts, bulges, vibration or air loss must be checked out
by a tyre specialist to avoid potential damage. Ageing,
such as surface cracking and crazing occurs naturally
by continual exposure to the elements. To reduce
the ageing process, only wash tyre sidewalls when
necessary with water
5.Tyre service life – regular inspection by a tyre
specialist is recommended and tyres which have
been in use for five or more years should be checked
annually. Tyres which are 10 years old should
be replaced
6.Tyre tread wear – this should be checked regularly.
Abnormal wear is often an indication of a mechanical
abnormality such as incorrect alignment or problems
with steering or suspension
Tyre tread wear and stopping distance chart
8
3
1.6
mm
We provide replacement tyres for fleet vehicles to make
sure that your customer’s drivers are safe and remain
within current legislation at all times.
Our service
As part of all fully maintained vehicle contracts, the
cost of replacement tyres is included for the life of the
contract. Tyres can be replaced at an approved supplier
or via a mobile tyre fitting service. We offer a Fair Play
on Tyres policy which means that tyres damaged by
puncture are not recharged.
Replacement tyres – the benefits
Our one call booking service helps your driver to get
tyres replaced quickly and conveniently. With our Fair
Play on Tyres policy we include the cost of tyres within
the monthly rental helping to keep tyre recharges to
a minimum.
It also helps to maintain driver safety by replacing the
tyre at a tread at a depth above the legal minimum.
Replacement tyres service includes:
New Tyre Tread Depth
•• Normally included within all full
29.5m
maintenance contracts
mm
Recommended Minimum Tread Depth
mm
LEGAL Tread Depth LIMIT
•• One call to the Vehicle Servicing Management team
31.7m
to book a replacement
Tyre wear – what to look for
Normal tyre and wear
Central three quarters must have
1.6mm tread depth. Tread pattern is
even and consistent across the full width
of the tyre
Under inflation
Central three quarters must have
1.6mm tread depth
Over inflation
Central three quarters must have
1.6mm tread depth
39.5m
•• Mobile tyre fitting is available
(8:30am - 5:30pm Mon - Fri, 8:30am - 12:30pm Sat)
•• Replacement of tyres at a tread depth of 2mm
(legal limit is 16mm)
•• Fair Play on Tyres - tyres damaged by puncture are
not recharged
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
TYRE LINE* 0800 028 2848
VOLVO CAR LEASING 0344 879 6333
OR CONTACT
THE VOLVO CAR BUSINESS CENTRE
ON 0345 600 4027
BUSINESS@VOLVOCARS.COM
*Subject to contractual agreement type.
Front wheel misalignment
Causes uneven wear on one side
Wheel camber
Causes sloping wear on the outer edge
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