Is tyres cracking on a low mileage car normal?

My two year old Mazda 3 went in for its second-year service recently. On collecting the car from my main dealer nothing faulty was pointed out and I drove the car home. The next day I received a video via email from the dealership and the technician had failed all four tyres for visible cracking in between the treads. The car has only done 8,000 miles from new. I am finding it hard to believe Yokohama tyres should fail with such low mileage and age - is this normal?

Asked on 1 March 2022 by Brian1949

Answered by Dan Powell

Normal for low-mileage cars that are left standing outside for long periods. UV light is the main cause, as it accelerates the breakdown of the rubber compound in the dry and dries it out (which leads to cracking).

If you do not use the car very often, I would recommend storing it in a garage or buying a high-quality car cover to protect the tyres from the elements.

Tags: tyres cracked tyres

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