Decades ago, nearly every car came with a full-size spare tyre. But fuel economy requirements, boot space considerations and the dangers involved in setting up a jack on the road side, prompted automakers to shift toward smaller, temporary spares. Today, some vehicles have no spare tyres at all. That doesn’t mean carmakers are stranding you, however. … Read more
It is important to keep an eye on your tyres because they need to be in a sound, roadworthy condition at all times. This is not only so that you won’t get fined in a traffic police inspection, but also for your own safety (and everyone else’s). Overly worn tyres give you less control and … Read more
Tyre pressure monitoring system, commonly abbreviates as TPMS is an electronic system designed to monitor the air pressure inside pneumatic tyres on various types of vehicles, and display the data to the driver in real-time over either a gauge, a pictogram display, or a simple low-pressure warning light. TPMS are designed into the following two … Read more
Punctures or flat tyres can happen to any vehicle and can be mild or severe, depending on what’s caused the issue and the tyre area affected. If you’re prepared, there are simple steps to change your tyre safely. Park away from traffic and on a flat surface. Use your hazard lights and other warning devices as required … Read more
By definition, eating a tyre is an abnormal and accelerated wear of a tyre. Also, few people question tyre wear. Did you know that what is considered reasonable in terms of a tyre’s service life varies considerably. Factors such as tyre load, speed, pressure, tread pattern, type of road surface, steering geometry, axle alignment, make … Read more
Speed thrillers have probably heard of nitrogen in cars, nitrogen in tyres has got nothing to do with boosting your car’s engine performance. The rubber tyre is a membrane, through which oxygen, in the ambient compressed air, permeates three times faster than nitrogen. The result is that the oxygen slowly leaks out through the rubber walls, and … Read more
A run-flat tyre is a pneumatic vehicle tyre that is designed to resist the effects of deflation when punctured. Several tyre manufacturers have developed run-flat tyre technologies. Run-flat tyres are handy when on a journey and you do not have a spare tyre. Subsequently, some vehicle manufacturers adopted this tyres as OE in a bid to increase customers satisfaction. Self-supporting … Read more
Tyre pressure fluctuates regularly due to various reasons. The most noticeable changes are experienced in the cold season when the outside temperatures fluctuate rapidly; the daytime and nighttime temperatures are remarkably different from each other. The fluctuation in the outside temperature is the reason that your car’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) shows a warning … Read more
A car battery has a polarity, which can be understood by the location of the terminals on its surface (usually on the cover). To determine the polarity correctly, the wide side of the battery with the terminals should be facing the person identifying the polarity. Polarity is considered 1 or straight when the battery “+” … Read more