Most breakdowns are preventable. Tyre-related breakdowns — blowouts, punctures from damaged tyres, failures caused by under-inflation — are particularly preventable with a simple five-minute check before any long journey. This guide tells you exactly what to check and what to look for.
Step 1 — Check Tyre Pressures (2 minutes)
Tyre pressure is the most important thing to check before a long journey. Check it when the tyres are cold — meaning the vehicle has been stationary for at least two hours and has not been driven more than a couple of miles.
Find the correct pressure for your vehicle in the handbook or on the door jamb label — it will be different for front and rear tyres, and may have a higher setting for a fully loaded vehicle. Use a calibrated pressure gauge rather than relying on forecourt gauges, which are often inaccurate.
Do not forget the spare wheel if your vehicle has one.
Step 2 — Check Tread Depth (1 minute)
Use a 20 pence coin to check tread depth at several points around each tyre. If the outer band of the coin is visible at any point, your tread is at or approaching the legal minimum and the tyre needs professional attention before the journey.
Also look for uneven wear patterns — wear on one side only, cupping, or wear across the centre or edges. These indicate alignment, suspension or pressure issues that should be addressed.
Step 3 — Visual Inspection of Sidewalls (1 minute)
Walk around the vehicle and look carefully at each tyre sidewall. You are looking for:
- Cuts or gashes — even small cuts in the sidewall can weaken the tyre structure significantly
- Bulges or blisters — a bulge in the sidewall indicates internal structural damage. Do not drive on a bulging tyre
- Cracking or crazing — hairline cracking on the sidewall, particularly in older tyres, indicates rubber degradation
- Embedded objects — nails, screws or glass may be causing a slow puncture
Step 4 — Check for Obvious Deflation (30 seconds)
Before getting in the vehicle, simply look at each tyre. A tyre that appears noticeably flatter than the others needs pressure checked immediately. Modern low-profile tyres can look deceivingly flat even when correctly inflated, so always use a gauge rather than relying on visual inspection alone.
Step 5 — Check Valve Caps
Valve caps protect the valve core from dirt and moisture and help maintain correct pressure. Missing or cracked valve caps should be replaced — they cost a few pence each. Always remove and replace valve caps during pressure checks, never leave them unscrewed.
Before Long Journeys to North Wales
If you are travelling to North Wales — perhaps heading to Snowdonia, Anglesey or the Llyn Peninsula — the quality of your tyres is particularly important. North Wales roads include steep mountain passes, winding coastal routes, and some rural roads with limited recovery access. Being stranded with a tyre problem on the Llanberis Pass or a remote Anglesey coastal road is a very different experience from breaking down in a town.
Check your tyres before setting off and take the number of a local mobile tyre service with you. Mobi Tyre covers all of North Wales 24 hours a day — save our number, 07768 491888, before you travel.
What to Do If You Find a Problem
If your pre-journey tyre check reveals a problem — low pressure, suspicious damage or insufficient tread — do not ignore it and hope for the best. A five-minute check followed by an hour’s delay to get the problem sorted is far preferable to a breakdown at the roadside.
Call Mobi Tyre on 07768 491888. We can reach you within 45-60 minutes at your home or workplace across North Wales and border England and resolve most tyre problems on the spot. No call-out charges, available 24 hours a day.
