Replace your tyres when the tread approaches 3mm, when the rubber is cracked or bulging, or when the tyres are more than five years old. You don't have to wait for the legal 1.6mm limit, because by then wet braking is already badly compromised. Here are the seven clear signs it's time for a fresh set.
1. Low tread depth
Use the quick 20p test. At or near 1.6mm the tyre is at the legal edge, but most fitters and TyreSafe recommend changing at around 3mm, because wet grip falls off sharply below that. Tread is what clears water and stops you in the rain, so low tread is the most safety-critical sign of all.
2. Cracks in the sidewall
Fine cracking, known as "crazing", means the rubber is perishing, often with age or sun exposure. It weakens the tyre even when the tread still looks fine, so it shouldn't be ignored, particularly on low-mileage cars where the tread lasts for years.
3. Bulges or blisters
A bulge is a failed internal structure, usually from a pothole or kerb impact. It's an immediate replacement and is illegal to drive on, because it can let go without warning at speed. Don't wait, replace a bulging tyre straight away.
4. Vibration or a pull
Vibration can mean a buckled wheel or a balance problem, while a pull often signals alignment trouble or uneven wear. Both shorten tyre life and are worth investigating early, because the underlying fault will keep eating the tread until it's fixed.
5. Repeated punctures
If a tyre keeps going down, the structure may be compromised. Sometimes another repair isn't safe or permitted, especially if the punctures are close together or outside the safe zone, and replacement is the sensible call rather than patching it again.
6. Age over five years
Check the DOT date on the sidewall. Rubber degrades over time regardless of use, and many manufacturers advise replacement at 5 to 10 years even if there's tread left, especially on low-mileage cars, caravans and the spare, which can be far older than you think.
7. Uneven wear patterns
Bald shoulders or a worn centre strip tell you pressures or alignment are off. Fix the cause first, then fit fresh tyres, so the new ones don't wear out the same way. Reading the wear pattern often points straight to the underlying problem, so it's worth fixing that before fitting new rubber. As a rule of thumb, treat any one of these seven signs as a reason to get the tyre looked at, and treat two or more together as a clear case for replacement. A tyre is the only thing connecting your car to the road, so when in doubt, it's the part least worth gambling on.
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