Caring For Your Tyres - MG ZR Series Owner's Manual

CARING FOR YOUR TYRES

Tyres
DEFECTIVE TYRES ARE DANGEROUS! Do not drive
if any tyre is damaged, is excessively worn, or is inflated to an
incorrect pressure.
Always drive with consideration for the condition of the tyres, and
regularly inspect the tread and side walls for any sign of distortion
(bulges), cuts or wear.
The most common causes of tyre failure are:
• Bumping against kerbs
• Driving over deep potholes in the road
• Driving with under or over-inflated tyres
NOTE: If possible, protect tyres from contamination by oil, grease, fuel
and other automotive fluids.
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Tyres
Tyre pressures
Correctly inflated tyres will ensure that you enjoy the best
combination of tyre life, ride comfort, fuel economy and road
handling.
Under-inflated tyres wear more rapidly, can seriously affect the
car's road handling characteristics and fuel consumption, as well as
increasing the risk of tyre failure. Over-inflated tyres give a harsher
ride, wear unevenly and are more prone to damage.
Check the pressures (including the spare wheel
week, when the tyres are cold - be aware that it only takes 1.6 km
of driving to warm up the tyres sufficiently to affect the tyre
pressures.
Air pressure naturally increases in warm tyres; if it is necessary to
check the tyres when they are warm (after the car has been driven
for a while), you should expect the pressures to have increased. In
this circumstance, NEVER let air out of the tyres in order to
match the recommended pressures.
The recommended pressures for cold tyres, see 'TYRE
PRESSURES', page 177.
Valves
Keep the valve caps screwed down firmly - they prevent dirt from
entering the valve. Check the valve for leaks (listen for a tell-tale
hissing) when you check the tyre pressure.
*
) at least every