TYRE TREAD DEPTH

Tyres will always remain the determining factor in the contact between the car and the road surface. The optimum functioning of tyres is strongly influenced by their tread depth.

Depending on their type, new tyres have a tread depth of between 7 mm and 9.5 mm. This ensures the best performance in changing conditions. While the minimum legal tread depth for all passenger car tyres in Europe is 1.6 mm, it is safer to replace them at a depth of 2 mm at least. Weather considerations mean that the wear limit is set at 4 mm for winter tyres. Winter tyres with less than 4 mm tread depth in principle cease to be winter tyres and the legal wear limit is also laid down by law in some countries.

The tread on the tyre features a Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) which shows when a tyre is close to the wear limit.

Wet road surfaces increase the risk of skidding. The risk of aquaplaning also rises as the minimum tread depth of the tyre is reached. However, it is not possible to determine the minimum tread depth at which any given tyre type can be safely driven. In general, the wider the tyres, the greater the risk of aquaplaning with worn tyres. In order to get the longest possible effectiveness from your tyres, we recommend that you switch them from front to back and vice versa around the 7,500-10,000-kilometre mark. Don’t forget to adjust the tyre pressure to the new position of the tyres. These measures will increase the lifespan of your tyres and improve driving comfort.