Tyre damage
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
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 ⇒ Changing a 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 ⇒ Breakdown set. Proceed to a qualified workshop. Volkswagen recommends
using a Volkswagen dealership for this purpose.
•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. A new tyre will 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.
Spare wheel or temporary spare wheel
Worn tyres are a safety risk and can lead to a loss of control of the vehicle and cause serious
injury.
•Tyres must be replaced at the latest when the tread is worn down to the tread wear
indicators.
•Worn tyres have considerably less tread, particularly on wet roads, which can cause the
vehicle to glide along the road surface (aquaplaning).
•Worn tyres reduce the possibility of controlling the vehicle well in normal and difficult
driving situations and increase braking distance and the risk of sliding.
WARNING
If you notice unusual vibration or the car pulling to one side while the vehicle is in motion, this
may indicate that one of the tyres is damaged.
•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.
WARNING
