Gash in my front offside tyre!

mrbadexample

Well, it looks ok to me, superficially at least. How long is it, and how deep is it? It looks pretty small, and if the cut isn't down to the metal cords then it's extremely unlikely to be either an MOT failure or illegal.

Basil_Fawlty

Thanks for those replies :T Surely a blowout can lead to sometimes fatal loss of control especially on a motorway at 70mph?

Wirenth

Hi spaceage.

Get a new tyre. Any gash in the sidewall of the tyre means that it is not road legal. I'm sorry this may not be what you want to hear.

Also, no matter how minor the damage, it is not worth the risk of either a blowout on the motorway or the sheer annoyance of dealing with a flat tyre. And you KNOW that this will happen at the most inconvenient moment possible! And would you really want to depend on a dodgy tyre as a spare?

Basil_Fawlty

Wirenth wrote:

Hi spaceage.

Get a new tyre. Any gash in the sidewall of the tyre means that it is not road legal. I'm sorry this may not be what you want to hear.

Also, no matter how minor the damage, it is not worth the risk of either a blowout on the motorway or the sheer annoyance of dealing with a flat tyre. And you KNOW that this will happen at the most inconvenient moment possible! And would you really want to depend on a dodgy tyre as a spare?

So would it come under warranty do you reckon?? I don't want to shell out £45 ish for a new Dunlop tyre because of something I didn't do

owey

It depends on were you bought it, some places cover you for accident damage, but they might also deduct any tyre wear from your claim.

derrick

BobToo wrote:

The spare isn't in the MOT but by law it does have to be present, legal and inflated.

"Spare tyres are not part of the MOT, (from HERE) Wheels and tyres - condition, security, tyre size and type, and tread depth. Spare tyres are not tested. " Also from HERE and lots more web pages

There is no legal requirement to carry a spare tyre

From the A A site:

Spare tyres There is no legal obligation to carry a spare tyre and it does not have to comply with the legal requirements while it is stowed away. However, when fitted to the vehicle (for example, following a puncture) it must then comply with the law. A spare tyre is not a testable item in the MOT test, though the examiner may draw your attention to an unserviceable item as a matter of courtesy.

Basil_Fawlty

Went to kwik fit this morning and he noticed a bulge on the sidewall of the tyre, about 15cm round to the left of the "cut" - he said that we could put a new tyre on there or I could keep an eye on it, but the bulge is noticeable when I run my hand along the sidewall. Not sure how the bulge is related to the cut because it seems far away, but he didn't mention anything about a warranty claim from Dunlop...

Basil_Fawlty

What is a blowout like, if travelling at 70mph, out of interest? I don't plan on letting the tyre deteriorate but will it be a simple deflation of the tyre or a complete loss of control thing?

westie666

If the tyre is on the front, the steering would start to shudder as the air rushes out.

the best way to describe this is like holding onto a pnumatic? drill sideways.

Just remember if it does happen dont rush for the brakes, treat the brakes as egg shells and use your gears - engine braking, to slow quick (5-3 or 4-2 etc)

Wig

spaceage wrote:

Thanks for those replies :T Surely a blowout can lead to sometimes fatal loss of control especially on a motorway at 70mph?

Not if it's on the rear, you might hear a noise, and you will feel the car is handling a bit funny on the rear have you ever driven on a flat tyre? Well that's what it's like. Or it can be described as driving over squashy fruit - but only on one wheel. You pull over and change the wheel. Nothing to it, as long as you are capable of changing a wheel. So you also need to put it on the passenger side at the rear, so it will be easier to change in safety.

Actually being on a dual carriageway motorway will be safer in a blowout on rear, because you are travelling in a straight line, and you only have to gently drive over to the hard shoulder.

Some really bad drivers who shouldn't be on the roads IMO don't realise they are driving on a flat/low pressure tyre!!! I trust you are not one of these drivers.