Hearing your tyres squeal or screech when you turn a corner? It’s often a sign of poor traction caused by low pressure, uneven tread, or wheel misalignment. In this guide, we explain what’s really behind that noise — and how to stop it before it leads to bigger tyre problems.
Are your tyres letting out a high pitched squeal or screeching sound whenever you navigate a corner or turn the wheel?
As well as creating an ear-splitting sound, the screech from tyres can be somewhat alarming – leaving vehicle owners wondering if something is wrong with their vehicle.
The reality is that there are several reasons why tyres could be screeching as you turn a corner or turn the wheel.
In this article, we’re sharing a quick look at some of the causes behind noisy, screeching tyres – and what you can do to quieten the din.
What Causes Screeching Tyres?
There are a couple of reasons why your tyres might be screeching when you turn.
1. Low Tyre Pressure
If your tyres do not have enough air in them, the percentage of rubber surface that makes contact with the road surface increases. Causes a loss of traction, which results in the tyre slipping on the road – creating the screeching noise.
2. Uneven Tread Wear
If your tyres exhibit signs of uneven wear and tear across the tyre tread, you will find that the traction between the tyre and the road is equally uneven and imbalanced.
This means that the tyre cannot maintain a consistent level of grip with the road, and screeches when it loses grip. This is exacerbated when turning.
3. Uneven Wheel Alignment
When a wheel is not aligned and properly balanced, the tyre is not able to retain good contact with the road surface. Again, this means that when turning, the tyre is likely to slip and screech as it slides on the road.
4. Low Tyre Tread
If your tyre tread is low and the surface that you are driving on is particularly smooth – for example, the surface of a car park – then there is a chance your tyres will screech as you turn corners. This is because there is not enough grip to retain good traction, again resulting in that slipping that we keep mentioning.
NOTE: Tyre tread has a legal minimum of 1.6mm, though may exhibit some signs of low tyre tread before that. When your tyre tread reaches 3mm, this tends to be the recommended time to upgrade them.
