What Can Cause Excessive or Uneven Tyre Wear?

Your tyres are the only part of your car that are always in contact with the road, so they need to be durable, reliable, and in good condition to keep you safe every time you drive.

Over time, though, all tyres wear down. Depending on how much you drive, the type of roads you use, your driving style, and the quality of your tyres, you may need a new set after around 20,000 miles or after a few years of regular use.

Tyres can also deteriorate with age, even if they still have enough tread. As tyres get older, the rubber can start to dry out and crack, especially if a car is left parked for long periods. That’s why it’s a good idea to have older tyres checked regularly, even if they don’t look badly worn.

While normal wear is to be expected, excessive or uneven tyre wear can sometimes point to another issue with your vehicle. It could be something as simple as incorrect tyre pressure, or it might be linked to wheel alignment, wheel balance, or worn suspension or steering components.

Let’s look at all of the potential causes of uneven or excessive tyre wear in more detail to help you spot the warning signs and take preventative action.

Underinflation: Why are my tyres wearing on the inside and outside?

If both outer edges of your tyre are wearing down faster than the middle, the most common cause is underinflation.

When a tyre doesn’t have enough air in it, more of the load is placed on the outer edges of the tread because the sidewalls of the tyre tend to sag onto the road. Over time, that can cause both “shoulders” of the tyre to wear more quickly than the centre.

If you’ve noticed this type of wear, it’s worth checking your tyre pressures against the manufacturer’s recommended settings. You should also keep an eye out for a slow puncture. If you’re topping up one tyre more often than the others, there could be a leak or something embedded in the tread that’s letting air escape.

How to inflate your tyres

Overinflation: Why are my tyres wearing in the middle?

On the other hand, if the centre of your tyre is wearing down more quickly than the edges, overinflation is your likely culprit.

That’s because when a tyre has too much air in it, the middle of the tread tends to bulge slightly, which means it takes more of the car’s weight, is in more contact with the road, and therefore wears down faster.

It might be tempting to put a bit too much air in your tyres so you don’t have to check them again for a while, but this can actually shorten the life of the tyre and quite seriously affect grip too. So if a tyre’s losing pressure regularly, it’s better to get it checked than to repeatedly overinflate it – a tyre puncture repair is a simple, affordable job that’ll usually save you the cost of having to replace a prematurely worn tyre.

Wheel misalignment: Why is one side of my tyre wearing more than the other?

If the tyre is wearing more on just the inner edge or just the outer edge, that’s often a sign that your wheel alignment may be off.

Wheel misalignment can happen gradually through everyday driving, but it can also be caused by hitting potholes, clipping kerbs, or general wear in the suspension or steering system. You might also notice the car pulling slightly to one side, or the steering wheel not sitting straight when you’re driving.

If one-sided tyre wear is left unchecked, the tyre can wear out much faster than it should.

Can wheel balance affect tyre wear?

In much the same way that wheel misalignment can cause uneven wear, an unbalanced wheel can too!

When your wheels are out of balance, the first symptom you’re likely to notice is vibrations through the steering wheel or through the car itself – especially at higher speeds. Over time, that vibration can contribute to uneven tyre wear along the face of the tyre rather than on one side of it. And these wear patterns can, in turn, make driving less comfortable.

How to check your tyres for wear

One of the quickest ways to check your tyre tread is the 20p test.

• Take a 20p coin and insert it into one of the main grooves of the tyre tread. If the outer band of the coin is hidden, your tread is likely to still be above the legal minimum depth. 
• If you can see the outer band, your tread is likely too low, and the tyre could be unsafe or illegal. 
• Crucially, you need to check in more than one place on the tyre. In the UK, the legal minimum tread depth for car tyres is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around its entire circumference.

So, when you’re checking your tyres, don’t just test one spot. Because tyres can wear unevenly, you should check at least three different points across each tyre, and do the same on all four tyres.

It can help to turn the steering wheel slightly to make the front tyres easier to inspect, but make sure you’re doing so safely and while the vehicle is stationary.

Tread depth is a great indicator of whether your tyres need replacing, but it isn’t the only thing to look for. While you’re checking your tyres, look out for:

• Cuts or cracks in the sidewall
• Bulges or lumps
• Objects stuck in the tread
• Signs of uneven wear
• Any visible cords or internal structure

If you spot any of these issues, it’s best to have the tyre inspected as soon as possible so that it can either be appropriately repaired or replaced.

Do cheap tyres wear more quickly?

As a general rule of thumb, budget tyres do tend to wear faster than premium tyres, but it’s not always that simple.

How long a tyre lasts can depend on a number of things, including the rubber compound, the type of roads you drive on, how many miles you do, and your driving style. For some drivers, such as infrequent ones, a budget tyre may be perfectly suitable. For others, a premium tyre is likely to offer better longevity and performance over time.

If you’re not sure which tyres are right for your car, check out our dedicated page.

How to help prevent unnecessary tyre wear

Due to the nature of how cars work, you’re never going to be able to stop your tyres from wearing down at some point. But there are certainly a few things you can do to help them last longer and wear more evenly.

Check your tyre pressures regularly

Try to check your tyre pressures at least once a month and before long journeys. Always use the pressure recommended by your vehicle manufacturer.

Watch out for potholes

Potholes can knock your wheels out of alignment and damage tyres. If you can avoid them safely, do so, but don’t swerve suddenly or put yourself at risk.

Take care around kerbs

Bumping into kerbs can affect wheel alignment and damage the tyre sidewall, especially if it happens repeatedly.

Pay attention to how your car feels

If your car starts pulling to one side, the steering wheel feels off-centre, or you notice vibration at speed, it’s worth having your tyres, alignment, and wheel balance checked.

Get older tyres inspected

Even if a tyre still has legal tread depth, ageing rubber can become less reliable over time. Regular inspections can help spot cracks, hardening, or other signs of deterioration before they become a bigger problem.

Need your tyres checked?

If you’re ever unsure about the condition of your tyres, it’s always worth getting them checked sooner rather than later. The experts at your local Kwik Fit centre are always on hand to help with anything tyre-related, whether you’ve spotted uneven wear, you’re worried about your tread depth, or you just want some peace of mind before a longer journey.

We can inspect your tyres, check for signs of damage or uneven wear, and help you make sure everything’s in safe working order. So, if something doesn’t look or feel quite right, book a free tyre inspection at your local Kwik Fit centre today.