Vehicle tire maintenance and wear indicators

Vehicle tire condition is a critical factor for road safety and legal compliance. According to regulations, tires must not show signs of reaching their limit via the Tread Wear Indicator (TWI). While the TWI typically indicates extreme wear when the tread reaches approximately 3 mm, the general legal minimum tread depth for both summer and winter tires is 1.6 mm.

Uneven tire wear often serves as a diagnostic signal for underlying mechanical issues. For instance, excessive wear on the edges of a tire typically indicates low tire pressure, whereas wear in the center suggests pressure that is too high. Asymmetric wear on the inner or outer edges of the tire is frequently linked to problems with vehicle geometry or suspension components, such as misaligned wheels or worn bushings and shock absorbers.