Skip to main content

Tyre Flat Spots; What are they?

A car tyre flat spot can cause several serious problems. It can even make your car unsafe to drive. However, not all car tyre flat spots are permanent, and there are several steps you can take to prevent and fix them.

A tyre flat spot

What is a Tyre Flat Spot?
The term ‘flat spot’ refers to a badly worn section of a tyre tread. While this might not be physically visible at first, it could cause the driver to feel bumps, thumps, or vibrations while moving.
If you suspect flat spots, here are a few common symptoms to look out for:
- Visible flattening of the tyre especially after being parked for a long time.
- Visible areas of little to no tread i.e. bald tyre patches.
- Vibration when driving on the tyre especially just after setting off.

How Do You Get a Flat Spot on Tyres?
There are a few different ways to get a flat spot on tyres:
- The tyre may ‘settle’ into a flattened shape when parked up for a long time.
- From skidding during harsh braking.
- A minor flat spot from a past incident may worsen over time too.
You will usually know pretty quickly if your flat spot is temporary or more permanent.

Can Tyres Get Flat Spots From Sitting (Parked For Long Periods)?
Yes, and the good news is these types of flat spot can often ‘repair’ with a short amount of driving.
Tyre flat spots caused by sitting usually happen when the vehicle has been parked up and then left, for example, if you leave it parked while you’re on holiday.
The tyres cool down from the drive and can harden into a flattened shape. After long-term car storage, tyre flat spots are not unusual, and can be noticeable when you drive away.
If you feel some vibration or juddering, it could be because the flattened shape of the tyre means it is not a smooth circle. However, this should naturally recover as the tyre warms up and regains more of its natural flexibility.

Preventing Car Storage Tyre Flat Spots
To prevent car storage tyre flat spots, consider increasing your tyre pressure by about 3 psi before you leave your vehicle. The extra pressure – always stay within the tyre’s safe maximum – should help it to hold its shape. So, when you come back to your vehicle to drive away, there’s less risk of it feeling flattened.
Remember, of course, that a puncture may be responsible for a flat tyre. And if you have a slow puncture, this is more likely to become obvious during longer storage.

You can also get tyre shoes (see below). The help retain the tyre's shape better for extended periods of sitting.

A tyre shoe

Flat Spots on Tyres from Skids
You can get permanent flat spots on tyres from skids and heavy braking, which is why you should always try to avoid locking up your wheels or turning the steering while the vehicle is not in motion.
A minor flat spot can worsen over time, as it will naturally be the spot on the tyre where future skids are more likely to happen.
Remember, your tread should be deep enough across all your tyre’s circumference – if it’s below the legal minimum on a flat spot, the tyre needs to be replaced immediately.
Flat spots on tyres from skids may be visible as scuffed areas on the rubber of the tyre where it has been worn away. Unfortunately, they are only likely to get worse the longer you drive on them, and you should get them replaced.

Tyre Rotation and Placement
A good way to ensure your tyre tread wears down equally on all four wheels is tyre rotation.
This helps to make sure the tyres on the axle wear down equally with the others, and that your best tyres are on the driving axle for better handling and safety.


Different tyre rotation patterns

Again though, tyre rotation only switches around the tyres already on your vehicle – so if you’ve got a permanent flat spot on a tyre, please change it.
If you suffer a flat spot on your tyre and it’s not improving after driving on it, you should think about replacing the tyre at the first opportunity.

Feel free to read our posts
Suggestions or questions?
carnaira9@gmail.com
IG/FB; @carnaira
Call/chat; 2347064978705
WhatsApp group; https://chat.whatsapp.com/DDMtvmSsfVoKfcfJ9RNuAo

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2024 Nord A3: Overview

The 2024 Nord A3 is a sedan from Nord Motion, a premier Nigerian automobile manufacturer. It  is designed to offer a blend of elegance, sporty performance, and safety features, making it a standout in its class.   It is positioned in the Nord lineup as a refined and luxurious competitor to vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, etc., in the steadily shrinking sedan market.  It's quite commendable that Nord is still putting some skin in the sedan game despite everyone's seeming preference for SUVs today. Prices start at  ₦ 47,280,000. Origin The 2025 Nord A3 was originally designed and built as the Cowin Xuandu by Kaiyi Auto, under the Cherry Automobile Group, in 2021. It was then offered to the Nigerian market in 2024 by Nord Automobiles as the Nord A3. Specifications Build: Unibody Seating Capacity: 5  Body Style: Compact 4-door sedan Layout: Front engine, front-wheel drive (FWD), no AWD available Suspension:...
Post a Comment
More posts »

CAR 101: The Four Stroke Engine

So now that we know all the basic parts of the engine, let’s take a look at the movement that actually makes our car move: the four-stroke cycle. Please read our earlier article :  The anatomy of the engine . Each piston travels through four strokes to complete a single cycle. Any given cycle is the succession of operations that are constantly being repeated in a cylinder when the engine is running. And a stroke can be defined as the piston moving from the point where it’s the highest in the cylinder to the lowest point in the cylinder, or vice-versa. The above illustration shows the four-stroke cycle in a single cylinder. This is going on in the other cylinders as well. Engines may have 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 or 16 cylinders in "V" or "W" configurations. Repeat this cycle a thousand times in a minute, and you get a car that moves. Twitter and Instagram; @VverteAutoSevcs Email; vverteautosevcs@gmail.com Phone; 09137103730 <script async ...
Post a Comment
More posts »

NORD A9: Overview

The Nord A9 marks the company's debut in the mid-sized SUV segment, catering to customers seeking additional space and a higher ride height without the drawbacks of full-size SUVs. Nord asserts that the A9 sets a new standard in the Nigerian car market for modern SUVs, combining versatility, luxury, and cutting-edge technology, while comfortably seating five to seven passengers. Power Train The Nord A9 is available in two trims. The "Luxury" trim features a 1.6l direct injection engine, while the "Luxury Pro" trim is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0l direct injection engine. Both trims come with an automatic transmission, ensuring a smooth and responsive driving experience suitable for both city and highway driving. Note that there are no manual transmission options available. It's important to mention that while direct injection engines promise improved fuel economy, they are prone to carbon buildup, especially when turbocharged. The origin of these engines...
Post a Comment
More posts »