It’s both the front tyres on the inside.

Ok, I’d have your alignment/tracking checked but also your suspension/arms etc. No point doing one fix and its actually a combo.

Tbh I dont check my tyres- only before big journeys.

Longshot- you dont drive up kerbs to park regularly? The previous owner of my first Forester did (as he demonstrated on the testdrive where he said he parked it every night outside his house- it led to the driveshaft failing.

Dont dwell on feeling sick. You’ve caught it and your sorting it.

‘What ifs’ existing every day. Its how we remedy that matters.

I understand that I should of checked them and feel sick thinking about it as I’ve had my family in the car. Thanks for rubbing it in though.

How on earth does driving up a dropped kerb cause wear like that then hopeychondriact you are coming across as an even bigger knob.

Did you just turn up looking for a fight?

Look on the bright side, you didn’t get pulled over then use that attitude with the police to talk your way out of a sizable fine. I believe it’s now up to about 2500 quid and three points per tyre.

When you bought the car, chances are the wear had already started in that vein , but it probably wasn’t that noticable when you run your hand over it or kicked the tyre. If it’s even on both sides, it’s most likely the alignment or the suspension. Judging by the photo, the tread on the rest of the tyres says that you were about due a new set regardless.

This >>>>

Judging by the photo, the tread on the rest of the tyres says that you were about due a new set regardless.

I used to be a chassis engineer at an oem. Get the geometry check by a proper outfit with a proper 4 wheel alignment machine, a hunter or similar. It’s probably toe out or too much negative camber (caused by wear or damage as I don’t think it’s adjustable ) or both. My volvo was doing it when I first got it and it was just toe

Not just the fine but if you did have an accident and somebody died they could just try to pin it on you and go for manslaughter. And that includes a member of your own family – remember the Land Rover bodger who drowned a couple of his own kids? Tragic.

Agree those tyres were very low across the whole tyre- those are your traction/steering/grip wheels too renton. You should have noticed that walking towards your car. As I said I dont do a regular physical check but a glance as you approach would be obvious. Sorry.

its a combination of things in my experience

Modern high power high torque diesels and ever heavier cars knock tyres out much quicker. 10-12k is about normal life expectancy now

Id say its toeing out though which might be the default geo

Modern high power high torque diesels and ever heavier cars knock tyres out much quicker. 10-12k is about normal life expectancy now

I got 20k out of my last set.

Not sure where you are but I’ve had wheel alignment checked and adjusted at CLCM in Edinburgh. The guy that runs it seems decent and sorted issues with my Alfa as the tyre wear was very uneven. He told me the number of brand new cars that come out of the factory with issues is crazy. I would stick some new tyres on and get the thing checked.

Are those OEM wheels?
Wrong off/inset?
Wheels/tyres touching some part of body?

MrGrim – Member
Not sure where you are but I’ve had wheel alignment checked and adjusted at CLCM in Edinburgh. The guy that runs it seems decent and sorted issues with my Alfa as the tyre wear was very uneven. He told me the number of brand new cars that come out of the factory with issues is crazy. I would stick some new tyres on and get the thing checked.

Used to work on Fords in the ’70s, similar problems then! Capris and Cortinas in particular 🙄

Standard wheels for the model of car it is. No signs of rubbing.

Apart from the one area of massive wear the rest of the tyre has worn pretty evenly.

I’ve not come here for a fight at all. But some of the replies I’m getting are bordering on downright abusive.

Yes I know I should of checked them more. I’m quite aware I’m in the wrong.

I’ve got a set of winter and summer tyres. It’s surprising how well running the different tyre types at the right time of the year has been contributed to tyre wear. 33k now and two set of only very partially worn sets of tyres.

Following on from Tonyg and his ‘any old tyre story’, my dad was the last guy to leave when the Mallusk Michelin factory closed. He got his giant, pale blue baldy head on the news and everything.

I think it’s a ford thing ….lots of fords have this problem. .A bit over ambitious on the toe out…Prob to improve handling… feel more stable …just get it checked I had mine taken in a few degrees and are fine now

I’ve just had a similar issue with mine. Inner wear, one side only. I’m usually pretty attentive but missed this. I managed to get over 30k miles from the front Conti Sport Contacts on my D5 V70 despite the damage. They had a bit left in them but the shoulder damage meant a change. Same again for me. I was getting ~18k from Bridgestone’s on my A6’s.

Such judgemental people on here! We lead busy lives, mistakes happen but you lot judging never ever make any of course! Nothing more to add sorry.

OP – I had similar wear on our family car (Mazda) 1600 miles after some work was carried out on the front suspension. Happily we spotted it before it got to the state yours is in, but surprised you didn’t notice wheel vibration and a certain amount of “pull”.

I think it’s toe-out that’s wrong so look that up. If you want to take it further then 2 pieces of advice: retain the tyres if you get them swapped and, get the “before” alignment readings when you get the tracking done.

If it’s got a service record you might want to see where any work was done and what was carried out too.

Finally, ignore those who choose to be tossers on here. I asked for some help and got some A1 advice together with some less than helpful.

I had mine taken in a few degrees

A few degrees? 😯

I had a pair of tyres worse than that, one right through on the inside. I got pulled over for a random check and I had to leave the car as they considered it too much of a risk to drive. I knew they were low approx 6 days before this happened and I couldn’t believe how quick one went through to the wire. The car had been sitting there and I was using another vehicle, on my day off I chose to use the car with dodgy tyres as it had a full tank of fuel and unluckily passed a patrol car about 11pm. Very unlucky but I chose to drive it. £200 fine for each tyre and 3 points.

I’d remove the wheel and put the spare on for the trip to the garage. Points for speeding is fair enough but it’s a mare getting them when you’ve not gone over the limit all day! Even if your excuse is ‘I’m going there right now’, you’re still driving on a dodgy tyre.

Ive an 08 Mondeo estate and it did the same on the first set in 12mths. 4 wheel alignment done and new tyres and that had resolved it in the 2 years since.
I hit/ straddle square speed bumps all the time (not to mention pot hole galore). Not made a difference,all good since tracking done.

All done. 2 new tyres and 4 wheel Hunter alignment. £298.

Here is the alignment printout….

Apparently the all four wheels were pointing outwards.

I had similar renton, 2003 Mondeo estate, my problems were at the back, trashed a set of rear tyres in 6000 miles and very nervous handling, normal garage said nothing wrong.

Got the alignment done and it was like a different car. We had it a couple of years before selling and I think the alignment was on its way out again by that point.

I’m now of the opinion that tracking, laser tracking, laser alignment and all the other terms your average tyre fitter uses to big up their crude front tracking check is a complete waste of time, especially when they can’t even get the wheel centred before making adjustments!

Proper 4 wheel alignment on a Hunter machine or equivalent is money well spent if you have unusual tyre wear or the handling doesn’t seem right…the problems at the rear of both Rentons and my Mondeo wouldn’t have been detected by a tracking check.

I had exactly this on my mondeo, worn drop links caused it.
Car felt absolutely fine, but after i had the drop links replaced the car felt better (less body roll) and the excessive wear was gone.
I cant remember how much it cost exactly, but it wasnt that expensive.

Was that front or rear drop links ?

Modern high power high torque diesels and ever heavier cars knock tyres out much quicker. 10-12k is about normal life expectancy now

There’s probably some truth in this. I worked out once, my old Mondeo was costing me about 10p/mile just in rubber.

Had this on my Mondeo due to mistake by alignment tech using the wrong settings.

My new tyres were shredded after 3 months.

4 new tyres and alignment – the tyres were great for another 20k.

Hope your car is sorted and keep an eye on tyre pressures too.

renton, just the fronts, but a couple of years later the rears wore out as well, same result, excessive tyre wear.
car still felt fine, but was definitely better when fixed.
230 notes a pair, fitted, at an independent garage, my wife reckons.
no other symptoms.
EDIT: in response to duncancallum, yeah, mine was a turbodiesel too.

Modern high power high torque diesels and ever heavier cars knock tyres out much quicker. 10-12k is about normal life expectancy now

Christ! How are some people driving!

I have excepting punctures been getting c20k – 22k out of a pair of tyres! That’s on 2x 3.0 TDI four wheel drive cars so torque is pretty high. I am using premium branded hi- spec tyres. No different to to my previous high bhp four wheel drive petrol hatch.

Ive only changed tyres (2) once in 10yrs.

The car normally goes first 😀

I never wheelspin though

Ive only changed tyres (2) once in 10yrs.

You make up in frames though 😉

Modern high power high torque diesels and ever heavier cars knock tyres out much quicker. 10-12k is about normal life expectancy now

Wow! 32K on my petrol Octavia and only looking to change the OEM tyres now. Around 2mm on the front. 4mm on the back. Even wear over the tyres.

Poor tire life out of modern high power diesels is a factor of driver.

Goes fast in a straight line must go fast round corners.

Heavy breaking to scrub the load pedal over use

Also poor clutch control.

2 sets of tires in last 90k for me.

Power steering and a heavy block isn’t great for tyre wear either.

Incorrect use of power steering to dry steer and a heavy block isn’t great for tyre wear either.

FTFY 😉

Gone through 3 sets of tyres in 110k here. First set of Intensa Savas lasted 12k and got scrubbed to nothing, cheap rubbish and bad tracking were their demise. Next got a set of Maxxis MA-P1’s which lasted from 65k to about 90k interspersed with a set of Hankook Icept EVO’s which lasted to 140k. Now on Hankook Ecosomethings which look as if they’re doing okay.

Just a 1.7l block mind but I’m not exactly gentle if I’m honest. Religious about dry steering though, there’s absolutely no excuse unless you’re turning an HGV trailer.

I would seriously look at the history of the car as it could be a cut and shut, bent chassis or just badly repaired.
Contact previous owner! 🙄

I would seriously look at the history of the car as it could be a cut and shut, bent chassis or just badly repaired.
Contact previous owner!

Or just needed a simple adjustment?

So how does it drive after the tweaks?

10-12k is about normal life expectancy now

Is it hells bells.

As an aside – energy saving tyres, the ones with scilica in like your Conti black chilli mtb tyres last at least twice as long as normal tyres as well as saving a bit of fuel. I reckon you save more money on the cost of replacing them than you do with fuel.

The Michelins on the Prius lasted 60k miles, the Nokians on the Passat (big heavy diesel) have done about 50k – the fronts have about 1.5mm on and the rears are barely half gone. Only problem is a broken spring has sawtoothed the insides, so I’m going to change then anyway.

Wish I’d read this thread before I had a front tyre blow out on Friday.

FWIW I knew my treads were getting low but still easily legal.

But stupidly I hadn’t turned the wheels so I could inspect the inside edge of the tyres. Which weren’t!

My tracking was out so that edge was considerably more worn and blew on me at about 65mph in the outside lane.

Lesson learned there.

Pricey emergency visit to KwikFit – but better than the alternative outcome!