Tyres FAQs

Tyres can be deceiving. Although there may not be any hairline cracks, bulges or missing bits of rubber, the tyre can still deteriorate. This is due to UV light, weather conditions and the quality of the tyres. A tyre can look new or in good condition but not be fresh and pliable. Generally speaking, a vehicle’s tyres should be replaced after five years, regardless of the amount of wear showing on them.

Provided the tyres are the correct specification for the vehicle, you do not need to have the same brand front and rear, though we recommend having the same brand and age of tyres across each axle.

Using wheels and tyres which are different in diameter and width from those originally supplied with the vehicle may cause speedometer inaccuracies and some suspension issues over time. This also applies to front-wheel drive vehicles in a general sense. Get at least three different quotes for new tyres.

While it is legal to put tyres with different tread patterns on a vehicle, it is recommended to at least retain the same tyre brand, tread pattern and specifications across the same axle. In other words, the two front tyres should be the same and the two rear tyres should be the same. The tread pattern of a tyre controls how the car grips to the road, disperses the water and generally how the car handles. It is unlikely that tyres with different tread patterns would cause any issues with the driveline. Ideally though, it is recommended to change either two or all four tyres at a time. It is also important to ensure the tyres have the same size, speed and load rating.

A wheel alignment is a process by which small adjustments are made to ensure all four wheels on your car are aligned correctly in relation to one another, meaning they are sitting parallel to one another and perpendicular to the ground.

When your wheels are properly aligned it ensures your tyres can move with less resistance on the road which improves vehicle handling, such as helping ensure the steering doesn’t pull in one direction. It also reduces excessive wear on your tyres.

If your car’s steering seems to pull in one direction, either towards the centre of the road or towards the kerb while you’re driving, the wheels may need alignment. Other possible causes of the steering pulling in one direction are the brakes being out of adjustment, worn suspension or having uneven tyre pressures. Want to learn the difference between needing a wheel alignment and wheel balance, read our article on this topic.

On the side wall of your tyre, you’ll find the size detail for your tyres. It will also be listed in your tyre placard. There are several types of tyres that come in a variety of sizes, specifically designed to fit onto cars, four-wheel drives, light trucks, utes and vans. We have a handy article with a diagram to help decode.

With a replacement tyre, its best practice that it matches the other tyres on your vehicle. If you only need to replace one tyre, it’s recommended that it should match the brand and specifications of your other Tyres of the vehicle.

If you are ever unsure you can give RAC a call on 13 11 11.

A tyre is legally worn out when it has less than 1.5mm of tread. Not only is it important for our own safety and for others on the road but it’s also a legal requirement to have at least 1.5mm of tread on your vehicle’s tyres. Worn tyres can cause a lack of control, hydroplaning, blowouts and understeering. In wet weather, worn tyres considerably increase effective braking distances.

Did you know that brand new tyres come with 8mm of tread, and then slowly get worn down? If your tyres are below 3mm, it's highly recommended that you look at changing your tyres.

If you need new tyres, RAC can help, our mobile tyre van can come to you* or choose one of local service centres.

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In Australia there are no regulations around required tyre replacement date. However, It is recommended that tyres older than five years should be replaced, even if it has never been driven on. This is because the rubber starts to deteriorate and could be very dangerous if driven on.

The short answer is yes, if the puncture hole is small which is usually the case with causes such as nails, bolts or screws. Small holes lead to a slow puncture. Although these holes do not necessarily mean severe damage, they must be fixed immediately as slow punctures can cause blowouts at high speeds. If the puncture is big and deep or in the tyre sidewall it can’t be repaired. Check out your nearest RAC tyre centre and we can inspect the tyre for you.

RAC Tyres advise that tyre pressures should be checked at least once a month, and it is best to check when cold. 

Tyre pressures should be set to manufacturer specification, which can be found on the tyre placard. This is usually located in the driver's door jamb, under the bonnet or in the glove box. 

The recommended inflation pressure refers to the cold tyres, if possible. Tyres are considered cold when the vehicle has been parked for three hours or more, or if the vehicle has been driven less than 1.6km at moderate speed. If you would like to test your tyre pressure when they are cold but you happen to live more than 1.6km from a service station, you could buy your own tyre pressure-monitoring gauge from reputable automotive parts retailers. 

A tyre pressure gauge is used to measure tyre pressure, essentially it measures the air in your tyre. To check your tyre pressure, you need to:

1. Remove the valve cap from your tyre
2. Place the pressure gauge on the valve stem. You need to press hard enough so the sound disappears
3. Your gauge will then provide your tyre pressure

Rotating the tyres will help all of the vehicle’s tyres wear at the same rate, which will keep the tyres performing equally on all four corners. This helps maintain the vehicle’s original handling balance and grip over a longer period. To get the maximum life of your tyres, we recommend that you rotate your tyres every 10,000km. The pattern of the tyre rotation will depend on whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear drive or all-wheel drive. When rotating, the wheel alignment should be checked. Furthermore, you should be checking the tyre pressure.

Turning the steering wheel when a car is stationary can cause unnecessary wear to the steering mechanism. The loading placed on the steering system can especially be felt in vehicles without power-assisted steering, where considerable force is sometimes needed to be applied by the driver to change the angles of the front wheels.

While pure nitrogen does have some advantages over air for racing car tyres, where pressures are subject to more potential fluctuation due to temperature changes, the use of pure nitrogen for road car tyres is less essential.

Remember that regular air is already 78 percent nitrogen, so paying extra for pure nitrogen (which may not actually be pure nitrogen) would for most people be poor value for money given the imperceptible difference it would make.

It can be hard to say for sure as every tyre is different, generally speaking a well looked after tyre should last for about 40,000km.

You can replace only one tyre, however for safety we recommend you don’t mix and match tyre brands. You also should ensure your other tyres are above 3mm in tread. The drivelines of some vehicles can be impacted by using mismatching tyres, and some manufacturers recommend replacing all tyres at once.

Your tyres have a lot of useful information printed on the sidewall about the type of tyre, loadings and tyre dimensions. Here’s how to read the markings on your tyre: