OUR TIRES
TIRE BASICS
TIRE CARE
ABOUT UNIROYAL
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OUR TIRES
TIRE BASICS
TIRE CARE
ABOUT UNIROYAL
Language
OUR TIRES
TIRE BASICS
TIRE CARE
ABOUT UNIROYAL

TIRE PROBLEMS

What are road hazard injuries?

A bulge or bubble in the sidewall is sometimes the result of damage from coming into contact with a curb, pothole or other object. Evidence of this damage can be:

 

  1. a scuff mark on the sidewall near the bubble
  2. a dent or damage on the wheel above the bulge
  3. a cut or bruise on the inner liner of the tire in the vicinity of the bulge (the tire must be dismounted in order to inspect the inner liner).

 

A tire that sustains any of the above injuries is damaged and is not covered under warranty.

 

However, your satisfaction is important to us and we request that you take the tire into a participating dealer for inspection to determine if warranty coverage applies.

What are the causes of center tread wear?

When the center tread wears faster than the adjacent tread surfaces, possible causes include over inflation for load carried, rim width that’s too narrow, misapplication, smooth wear after spin-out, improper tire rotation practices, aggressive acceleration or under-inflation for certain tire types, such as performance tires.

 

If the tread depth is at or below 2/32" in any groove or if cord material or under tread is exposed, the tire must be replaced. If sufficient tread remains, verify proper rim width and vehicle fitment as well as verify/adjust inflation pressures, then rotate the tires for maximum wear.

What can cause my tire to wear in more than one spot around the circumference?

When tread is worn in one or more spots around the tire circumference, this can indicate brake lock/skid, improper balance, localized underlying separation, loose/worn suspension components, improper bead seating/mounting, progression from initial tread cut/chip/road hazard injury or chemical contamination. Surface texture may have initially shown abrasion marks from the tire sliding on the road, but the surface may have since worn smooth.

 

When the tires with a flat spot are used in a dual application. you may consider rotating one tire 180 degrees in relation to the flat spot on the other tire.

 

If the tread depth is at or below 2/32" in any groove or if either cord or under tread is exposed, the tire must be replaced.

 

When the cause of the flat spot is not apparent, your tire dealer should contact our Consumer Care Department.

What can cause my tire tread face to show one rib higher than the other?

Feathering is a condition when the edge of each tread rib develops a slightly rounded edge on one side and a sharp edge on the other. The most common causes of feathering are incorrect toe-in setting or deteriorated bushings in the front suspension. The toe setting should be as close to 0 as possible for the optimum wear.

 

The tires should be inflated to the pressure as indicated on the sticker on the inside of the driver’s door. The vehicle manufacturer has determined this pressure is optimal for load, ride, handling, rolling resistance and tread wear performance.

What can cause the sidewall of my tires to start turning a brownish color?

The brownish color on the sidewall of your tires is not a defect. The source of this discoloration can be varied. One possibility is that the tires contain an anti-ozone agent in their rubber compounds to slow down the ill effects of exposure to ozone in the air. This anti-ozone ingredient will migrate to the surface of the rubber and leave the appearance of a brownish dust. This is completely normal and technically is no cause for concern. In time, depending on usage, it will disappear.

 

Other possibilities for discoloration can be simply dust that is picked up from normal driving or brake dust which is generated by the abrasion of the brake pads against the brake rotor. This latter condition is more prevalent when the brakes are new or have recently been relined. In all cases, we recommend that you continue to clean your tires with a mild soap and water.

What causes a tire to wear out?

Treadwear or life expectancy is determined by many factors: Driving habits, driving style, geographical location, type of vehicle, type of tire, how vehicle is maintained, how tires are maintained, etc.

 

As a result, mileage expectancy is impossible to determine. Our Limited Warranty covers defects in workmanship and material for the life of the tread or 6 years from the original date of purchase, whichever occurs first. We offer no mileage warranty on the tires that were originally equipped on your vehicle.

 

We suggest that you have the tires/vehicle inspected by a participating tire retailer in your area to determine if there is perhaps a mechanical or maintenance issue that could be contributing to a rapid or irregular wear pattern.

 

Your satisfaction is important to us. Please have the dealer contact us with the tire inspection as we are willing to assist you with your concern.

What causes sidewall Indentations on my tire?

Sometimes referred to as sidewall undulations, indentations in the sidewall are a common characteristic of radial tire construction and are purely a visual characteristic that will not affect the performance of the tire. These indentations are more noticeable in larger/wider radial-ply tire sizes and become more visible with higher inflation pressures. The joining of the ply material in the sidewall area may cause a slight indentation or wavy appearance on the sidewall surface of the tire when it is inflated. However, if bulges, rather than indentations appear on the sidewall of the tire, or if there is any question concerning any sidewall indentations, please contact a tire dealer for a tire inspection.

What could be the cause of my tires making a loud noise?

Noise is most commonly due to an uneven or irregular wear pattern that has developed on the tires.

 

We suggest that you have the tires inspected by a participating tire retailer in your area. To find the dealers near you, use the Dealer Locator on our website.

What could cause my tire to wear on the Inside and outside shoulders?

The cause of inside and outside shoulder wear is normally due to improper inflation pressure, hard cornering, frequent mountain driving, improper tire rotation practices or a rim width too wide for the tire. Commercial delivery service vehicle tires frequently experience this type of wear pattern.

 

If the tire's tread depth is at or below 2/32" in any groove or if cord material or under tread is exposed, the tire must be replaced. If sufficient tread remains, verify proper rim width and vehicle fitment as well as verify/adjust inflation pressures, then rotate the tires for maximum wear.

What could cause my tire tread to come off?

A separation between the tread rubber and the underlying belt may be the result of cumulative poor inflation maintenance, improper inflation pressure, repair or storage, excessive load, speed or heat, prior impact damage, tread cut or puncture or run flat.

 

A tire exhibiting this condition should be permanently removed from service.

What does it mean if my tire has shredded into pieces?

The tire industry refers to tires in this condition as "run flat" which refers to a tire that has lost air, whether it is from a slow loss or an immediate loss, and then subsequently run on. As the tire continues to operate or "run" with significant amount of air loss, it reaches the "runflat" stage, where serious internal damage is caused by the excessive deflection of the casing. If the air loss continues, the inside of the deflected sidewall can actually rub against itself. When the internal abrasion weakens the casing sufficiently a sudden loss of air pressure can occur. Additional damage is often done by the relatively sharp rim flange cutting into the fully deflated casing as it is driven after the sudden loss of air pressure, even in the short distance it takes to drive the vehicle to the side of the road.

 

We are not indicating that the tire was not maintained, but simply that it lost air. Some of the many factors which can cause a tire to lose its inflated air pressure are penetrations, cuts, snags, impact breaks, valve stem leaks, incorrect mounting, just to name a few. While it may not be possible to pinpoint the cause of initial air loss, we know the outcome is underinflation damage.

What does it mean when my tires start to show signs of aging, ozone cracking or weather cracking?

The life of a tire cannot be measured by miles alone. Tires are composed of various types of material and rubber compounds, having performance properties essential to the proper functioning of the tire itself. These component properties evolve over time. For each tire, this evolution depends upon many factors such as weather, storage conditions, and conditions of use (load, speed, inflation pressure, maintenance etc.) to which the tire is subjected throughout its life. This service-related evolution varies widely so that accurately predicting the serviceable life of any specific tire in advance is not possible.

 

It is impossible to predict when tires should be replaced based on their calendar age alone. However the older a tire, the greater the chance that it will need to be replaced due to the service-related evolution or other conditions found upon inspection or detected during use.

 

While most tires will need replacement before they achieve 10 years, it is recommended that any tires in service 10 years or more from the date of manufacture, including spare tires, be replaced with new tires as a simple precaution even if such tires appear serviceable and even if they have not reached the legal wear limit.

 

The warranty covers defects in workmanship and material for the life of the tread or 6 years from the date of purchase, whichever occurs first. With no proof of purchase, the warranty period is for 6 years from the date of manufacture (this is indicated in the DOT # on the sidewall).

What is cupping?

Cupping can be attributed to bent or worn suspension parts, wheel misalignment, an imbalance of the tire/wheel assembly, etc. Once this type of wear pattern has occurred, it is irreversible, and the tires will continue to wear unevenly.

What should I do if I notice a vibration?

Vibration is an indication that your car has a problem that needs attention. The tires, steering system and suspension system should be checked to help determine the possible cause and correction of the vibration. If left unattended, the vibration could cause excessive tire and suspension wear. It could even be dangerous. Authorized Dealers offer expert diagnosis and repair. 

What should I do if my tires wore too fast?

An inspection of your tires must be performed by a participating Uniroyal Tire dealer. Once the dealer has had the opportunity to inspect your tires, inform them that you have been instructed by Uniroyal Tires to request that they contact us at the 1-888-871-7777 to discuss their findings while you are there.

 

Factors that can affect rapid tire life are:

 

  • tire maintenance (inflation and rotation)
  • vehicle maintenance (alignment and suspension)
  • driving styles and habits
  • materials used in road surfaces
  • topography of the area the vehicle is driven in
What should I do if my vehicle is pulling to one side?

Incorrect alignment settings can adversely affect handling. Tolerable camber, caster and toe settings can be verified by a print-out from your alignment/tire shop or vehicle dealer.

 

If the tires are evenly worn, the alignment is in order and there is still a pull, the front tires should be crisscrossed (as long as they are not a directional tread design) to see if the pull changes directions. This adjustment should be performed by a participating dealer.

What should I do if the cords on my tires are visible?

Cord material may become visible at the base of tread grooves or slots due to under inflation, misalignment, loose/worn suspension components, hard cornering, improper tire rotation practices, misapplication, high crown road or non-uniform mounting.

 

If cord material is visible, the tire must be replaced.