Volkswagen Golf Owners Manual: Tyre damage

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warnings 

Damage to tyres and rims is often not readily visible. Any unusual vibrations or signs that the car is pulling to one side may indicate that one of the tyres is damaged  .

• Reduce your speed immediately if you suspect that a wheel is damaged.

• Check the tyres and rims for damage.

• If the tyre is damaged, do not drive on. Seek expert assistance.

• If there is no visible damage, drive slowly and cautiously to the next qualified workshop in order to have the vehicle checked.

Foreign bodies in the tyre

• Leave the foreign body in the tyre if it has entered the inner tyre. However, foreign bodies that are stuck between the tyre tread blocks can be removed.

• For vehicles with a spare wheel or temporary spare wheel: where appropriate, change the damaged wheel   If required, seek expert assistance when changing the damaged wheel. Volkswagen recommends using a Volkswagen dealership for this purpose.

• For vehicles with a breakdown set: if required, seal the tyre and pump it up using the breakdown set   . Proceed to a qualified workshop. Volkswagen recommends using a Volkswagen dealership for this purpose.

• For vehicles with mobility tyres, leave the foreign body in the tyre and go to a qualified workshop. A sealant inside the tyre encloses foreign bodies penetrating the mobility tyre and seals the tyre temporarily.

• Check the pressure and adjust it as required.

Tyre wear

Tyre wear is affected by several factors. These include:

• Driving style.

• Unbalanced wheels.

• Running gear setting.

Driving style – fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking all increase tyre wear. The running gear should be checked by a qualified workshop if the tyres show excessive wear despite a normal driving style.

Unbalanced wheels – the wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various factors encountered in normal driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results in steering vibration. Unbalanced wheels will affect levels of wear on the steering system and the suspension. In this case the wheels should be balanced again. New tyres have to be balanced after fitting.

Running gear setting – incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of the vehicle. The wheel alignment should be checked by a qualified workshop if tyres show excessive wear.

WARNING

• Reduce speed immediately and park the vehicle without obstructing traffic.

• Check the tyres and rims for damage.

• Never drive on if wheels or tyres are damaged. Seek expert assistance instead.

• If there is no visible damage, drive slowly and cautiously to the next qualified workshop in order to have the vehicle checked.