Tire Flaking
- If the level of tire flaking is excessive or overall tire condition is poor the tire should be treated as any damaged/punctured tire. Where detrimental damage to the tire is evident, it must be reported to the customer with recommendations to accordingly replace damaged tires.
- Perform a tread depth measurement to make sure the tire is within local regulations. If specifications are not met inform customer that they require replacement.
Symptoms
Typical example of a serviceable tire exhibiting tire flaking phenomenon
Possible Causes:
Tire Flake damage may develop on the outer sections of the tire tread when vehicles are driven enthusiastically and peak available grip has been surpassed. Typically the tread may lose small pieces of tread rubber within and around the periphery of the tread blocks on the outer sections of the tire.
Action:
When a customer contacts a retailer concerning the tire flaking phenomenon, retailers must:
- Conduct a thorough evaluation of the tire condition and determine that they are seeing flake damage on the outer sections of the tire. If damage is seen in the central tread, please refer to the Tire Chip and Chunk section
- Inform the customers of the driving styles that generate tire flaking (Mid corner understeer that generates high pitched tire noise, and/or over application on accelerator inputs when exiting junctions that cause the traction control lamp to come on).
Complaints associated with this phenomenon must initially include a thorough examination of the vehicles tires for the following:
- Excessive flaking (tread cuts or loss of tread block section, extending deep into the tread rubber beyond the tread wear indicators or in the shoulder area extending beyond the groove depth)
- Cuts and bulges especially within the sidewall
- Overall tire condition including tread depth.
Where the tires do not exhibit excessive flaking, cuts, sidewall bulges and are in generally good condition the customer should be advised that the condition does not affect the overall tire integrity or significantly affect performance and as such are serviceable.