Tyre wear indicators are one of the simplest tools for checking your tyre health — but few drivers know how to read them correctly. This guide explains what tyre wear markers mean, how to spot when your tread depth has reached its limit, and the extra checks that keep your tyres safe for longer. Stay confident on the road by learning when it’s time to replace your tyres before they become unsafe.
Knowing when your tyres need changing and upgrading is one of the most important parts of safe and effective vehicle maintenance.
Not only do high quality tyres keep you on the road, but they give you effective control over your vehicle, reduce fuel consumption, and ensure that braking distances remain as low as possible.
Of course, the wear and tear of your tyres is something that any MOT provider will check and provide an assessment on – with vehicle services also covering tyres as standard. But what about the months of driving that pass between each MOT and service? How can drivers take control of their own vehicle safety and assess the condition of the tyres on their car?
Without further ado, here are some of the most important signs of worn tyres that you need to recognise as a vehicle owner, and how to interpret tear wear indicators.
The Main Signs of Worn Tyres
As the legal limit for tyre tread depth sits at 1.6mm, being able to accurately measure the tread on all four tyres remains the most effective guarantee for tyre safety. More on this in a moment.
However, tyre tread is not the only sign of wear and tear.
Other signs of worn tyres that need replacing include cracks and bulges in the sidewall of the tyre, discolouration, separated tread, and exposed tyre wear indicators.
What Are Tyre Wear Indicators?
Tyre wear indicators can be found inside the tread of your tyres and are one of the easiest ways of measuring and monitoring tyre tread depth.
These indicators are essentially marks which are printed on the tyres, located in the deepest trench of the tyre tread. As tyres become worn and the tread depth gradually starts to wear down, these marks become clearer. Once the marks are level with the surface of your tyres, you have reached the legal limit of 1.6mm and your tyres need to be replaced as soon as possible.
TOP TIP: By keeping an eye on these tyre wear indicators, vehicle owners should be able to see when tyres are nearing their minimum tread depth and order their new tyres ready for replacement. Tyres.co.uk offer tyres for all manner of vehicles, with specialist advice on choosing the best tyres based on location and the style of driving you are used to. The earlier you start researching new tyres, the better your chance of getting a good deal.
Tips for Interpreting Tyre Wear Indicators
Our first piece of advice for vehicle owners is to adopt a couple of different tyre tread checks as standard – to ensure accurate readings.
The tyre tread indicators are a good option as they are ever-present on all tyres and can be easily tracked to see how they line up with the surface of the tyre. Combining these indicators with a tyre tread gauge will enable vehicle owners to check for uneven wear and tear around the full circumference of the tyre.
The 20p trick is another popular solution for interpreting tyre tread wear and tear. Slotting a 20p into the tread of your tyres, check whether you can see the border of the coin or not. If you can, then your tyres have reached the legal limit and need replacing.
Finally, remember that once your tyre surface has worn down to sit level with the tyre tread indicator, it is time for an immediate replacement. The best way to maintain the safety and control of your tyres and vehicle is to change tyres before they reach the legal limit.
