One of the critical things to remember when it comes to safety on the road is the condition of your tyres.
One of the primary questions our customers ask is whose responsibility is it is to replace a leased vehicle's tyres?
To help clarify the rules on tyre replacements, we have put together a helpful guide to explain whose responsibility it is to replace the tyres on a lease vehicle and what tyre brands are allowed.
We have also provided information on identifying when a tyre needs changing alongside how to change one safely.
When you take out a personal or business contract with Fleet UK, you have the option to incorporate a maintenance package in the contract for a fixed monthly fee. This will give you peace of mind that you have complete coverage during the term of your contract.
Maintenance covers anything that needs repair or replacement during your lease period, including tyres, brakes, exhausts, wipers, etc. Note: a maintenance package will not cover any repairs or replacements resulted from accidental damage.
You can find full details of the Maintenance Package here. It includes regular servicing, replacement tyres (depending on the finance provider), and other repair costs required during the leasing contract period. This is in addition to the full UK manufacturer warranty and at least 12 months roadside assistance and recovery that is provided with all new vehicles as standard.
When it comes to tyres, a maintenance contract may also include:
It doesn't include:
Suppose you don't have a maintenance contract. In that case, replacement of tyres is down to you, and you should ensure that the correct standard and make of tyres are fitted to the vehicle, as fitting part-worn tyres - even if you may be unaware that they are part-worn - can be dangerous. At the end of the lease contract, the condition of the tyres is inspected as part of the end-of-contract process.
Changing a tyre is not as challenging as it is perceived. Nor does it require the strength of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson to get the job done (unless you are driving a large lorry). This is a learned skill and anyone can acquire it. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can change the tyre of your car without much fuss:
Park your car on level ground as far away from traffic as possible.
If it's dark, ensure that you are using a torch and wearing a high-visibility jacket.
If you are near traffic, it's a good idea to turn on your hazard lights.
Any passengers should also exit the vehicle, and you should remove any heavy luggage.
Remove any wheel cover or centre cap to access the wheel nuts, and give each one a half-turn with your wheel wrench.
Then place your jack underneath the jacking point closest to the wheel – these points can vary for each vehicle, so it's worth checking the owner’s manual so you know where they are ahead of time.
Failure to place the jack correctly can cause damage to the vehicle and may provide an unstable lift.
Turn the jack handle clockwise until you have raised the wheel entirely off the ground. Remove the wheel nuts and remove the tyre.
Lift the replacement up onto the mounting surface and tighten all of the wheel nuts with your fingers.
To guarantee accurate alignment, you should tighten the nuts further (but not entirely) in the order shown in the image.
Lower the car by turning the jack handle anti-clockwise until the wheel is resting on the ground.
You can then remove the jack.
Give each of the lug nuts one last turn (using the same pattern above) to ensure they are all secure, and then pack everything back into the vehicle.
What's easier than reading a step-by-step guide? Watch this video from the RAC for learning how to change a tyre correctly by yourself.
Driving with damaged or worn tyres is dangerous and illegal, and it also presents a danger to you, your passengers, other road users and pedestrians. Yet, there's approximately 10 million illegal tyres on the UK roads? So what does this mean to the average UK driver?
Not only do you risk being involved in an accident, but you could also invalidate your car insurance policy.
If you get caught by the police driving with unlawful tyres, you may be:
In the UK, you have to change your tyres when the tread depth falls below the legal limit of 1.6mm. You may also need to replace your tyres if they are damaged and cannot be repaired. For example, if you see a bulge in the sidewall or a deep cut caused by a sharp object, we recommend that you check each side of your tyre for any likely damage.
Ultimately, replacing your car tyres is essential to keep you safe and keep your car performing at its best with excellent handling and control.
You should also consider that new tyres have around 6-8mm of tread, and as that tread depth decreases, so can tyre performance. The legal tread depth limit is 1.6mm, so it is vital to continue monitoring the depth before reaching this limit.
Tyre damage comes in several forms and levels of severity. Regardless of how safe a driver you are, the chances are your tyres will incur damage at some point in their lifespan. Whether it’s caused by debris on the road, potholes, or a road traffic incident, you should be prepared to identify and analyse the varied types of tyre damage.
Bulges in tyres can occur when the sidewall becomes damaged, often caused by ‘kerbing’ or potholes in the road.
The structural integrity of the tyre sidewall is weakened, and the internal air pressure creates a visible bulge. A lump or a bulge typically indicates the tyre has been damaged internally.
If you notice a cut, lump, or bulge, you need to get the tyre replaced or repaired immediately. Likewise, you should have the tyre checked immediately if you spot any rips, cuts, and tears due to 'kerbing’ or pothole damage.
Any cut deep enough to reach internal structure renders tyres unsafe and in need of replacement.
Look out for: The tyre's outside edge or inside edge will show significantly more wear than the rest of the tyre if your tyre is suffering from camber wear. You will typically see a gradual slope from one side of the tyre to the other, and it's usually easy to identify.
Possible causes: Camber wear can be caused by a bent strut, suspension misalignment, a weak or broken spring, a dislocated strut tower, a bent spindle or a collapsed or damaged control arm brushing.
What to do: The causes of tyre camber wear can be pretty severe and affect the safety and performance of your car. It is crucial to get your vehicle checked at an approved garage to determine the cause of the problem by checking the suspension and its alignment.
Look out for: Extreme wear down the centre of the tyre with less wear visible on the outer tyre edges.
Possible causes: Centre tyre wear is typically caused by the overinflation of tyres. This causes a bulge in the centre of the tyre, which causes the centre to take more pressure and thus wear more quickly than the outer tyre edges.
What to do: Always check your tyre pressures regularly. If you do have to inflate your tyres, keep them within your manufacturers recommended tyre pressure guidelines which you can find in your manual.
Look out for: With cupping tyre wear, you should look out for cups or dips around the edge of the tyre tread. Cupping wear does not follow a distinct pattern, so you must examine the entire tyre for signs of cups or dips.
Possible causes: Cupping tyre wear can be caused by one of the tyres being out of balance with the others. However, it could also be due to impaired struts or shock absorbers.
What to do: Cupping can indicate an issue that could soon become pretty serious if left untreated, which is why you should take your vehicle to an approved garage to get your tyres checked. A technician should be able to advise whether your tyres need re-balancing or if you have weakened struts or shock absorbers, in which case these may need replacing.
Look out for: The outer edge of the tyre will wear more rapidly than the centre of the tyre.
Possible causes: Outside tyre wear is typically caused by underinflated tyres which causes a dip to occur in the centre of the tyre. This dip has less contact with the road, so it does not wear as quickly while putting more of the car's weight on the outer edge of the tyre, causing more wear.
What to do: You should make sure you inspect your tyre pressures regularly and always pump the tyre up to the manufacturers recommended tyre pressure. If you are not confident checking the tyre pressures on your vehicle, try to find a local garage that offers a free check.
You may also find your tyres susceptible to patchy wear, i.e., random wear of the tyre with no clear pattern. This can indicate a tyre is out of balance, so you should take your vehicle to a garage to get your tyres balanced.
If you need to replace the tyres on your lease car or van during your contract, please ensure you use a premium brand like Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Dunlop or Continental.
Nowadays, it is much less common to be provided with a full-sized spare that functions as adequately as your main tyres. For weight and space reasons, you may have a mini spare (also known as a ‘space saver’), which is sufficient enough to get you home but inappropriate for continued use. Space saver tyres are also not designed to be driven above 50mph.
Many drivers have experienced getting a flat tyre at some point during their driving history. However, sensible driving decisions and good maintenance practices should decrease the risk of punctures and blowouts.
It is vital not to overload your vehicle and the weight of your tyres carrying capacity. Abnormal flexing under heavy loads causes damage to tyres, and the edges of the tread can build up extreme heat and possibly start separating from the tyre. Cords in the sidewalls can begin to snap, and once this starts, it could continue, even after the load is removed.
An overloaded vehicle is hard to handle, especially in emergencies calling for quick manoeuvring. And the car's springs and shock absorbers may be strained to the point of actual damage.
Consistently using tyres on the top of their weight limit degrades tyres the same as overloading them for a short time. If a tyre has already been underinflated or damaged, even a tiny extra load can lead to a blowout.
So it’s important to adjust your tyre pressure depending on the weight you have added.
Underinflated tyres are a blowout risk because of the increased heat and friction they encounter.
Overinflated tyres are more liable to pick up damage from potholes and bumpy roads. Checking your tyre pressure at least once a month will help prevent either situation.
