Tyre wear

[monkeyhanger]

Similar issue here. ID3 Life Pro delivered new in February '21. During a mirror repair in August my local VW workshop marked the two rear tyres as red "Immediate Action Required" on their report - the rear tyres need replacing now. After 7500 miles and barely 6 months of school runs!! I followed up with VW by emailing them at weconnect-support describing the weird issue with my rear tyres and asking why - interestingly they spoke to my local workshop rather quickly and then phoned me back. The workshop elaborated that my rear tyres (only) were "cut to the cord" and needed to be replaced, possibly by driving over broken glass!

VW's proactiveness surprised me in this instance. I am suspicious. And I don't buy the broken glass explanation at all - not least because that wouldn't typically affect just 2 tyres, on the same axle.

So now I'm left with a nearly new car that has some kind of fault with the factory-fitted rear tyres. And I am just out of the VW 6 month warranty on consumables (they were keen to point out to me on the phone, somewhat smugly). So I have to pay for the new boots. For your comparison purposes, typical car tyre life ranges from between 3 - 6 years, and between 20,000 to 60,000 miles.

If this tyre wear issue is impacting many owners we should collectively approach VW as it is my belief there is a product quality issue at play here. Any interest out there? Any more folks with catastrophic tyre wear experiences?

Did you witness the tyre wear or just believe what you're told?

Just interested to know whether it was down to the cords, whether that wear was even or indicative of over/under inflation etc.

How is regen braking rather than proper braking any worse on the tyres? The slowing of the wheels is no more severe one way or the other. What may be happening is that people with 4WD with FWD bias or FWD are expecting the rears to last ages (~40k miles) while the fronts go quite early (~15k miles), where the opposite is likely to be true when the ID3 is driven with the rear wheels and the rears are doing a lot of the braking. Don't forget these cars are a third heavier than the likes of a Golf.

I wouldn't be disappointed with 10k miles on the rears and would replace my Flintstone ditch finders with something from Michelin or Goodyear.

[van]

Somewhere I've read that the cars are delivered inflated to 46psi and not always adjusted during pdi. Could that be a contributory factor?

[Utumno]

Flintstone ditch finders

FYI this caused me to spit my tea out onto my keyboard in a genuine lol moment...

[tomstring]

I’m assuming once I take delivery of mine (in March ) that 215’s won’t be as expensive to replace as the 235’s on my current SEAT. I normally run on winter tyres from mid November to the end of March so I’m hoping for at least 2 years without having to replace any. Thanks for the tyre wear feedback posted though.

[monkeyhanger]

I’m assuming once I take delivery of mine (in March ) that 215’s won’t be as expensive to replace as the 235’s on my current SEAT. I normally run on winter tyres from mid November to the end of March so I’m hoping for at least 2 years without having to replace any. Thanks for the tyre wear feedback posted though.

Don't assume a smaller width tyre means a smaller price. If the tyre size used is uncommon, you'll pay a premium on it.

My Polo GTI came on Bridgestone Potenza 215/40 R18s. You'd expect this size to be cheaper than 225/40 R18s?

The 215/40s are a rare size, the 225/40s are incredibly common, being used on so many cars. When I decided to ditch teh Bridgestones for some Michelin PS4s (the Bridgestones were so bad), the 215/40 price was around £160 a tyre fitted, the 225/40 price was around £90 a tyre fitted. Needless to say, after determining the rolling circumference was only 1.2% out and the extra width wouldn't cause any rubbing/snagging on full lock, I bought the 225s!

Costco had some Michelin all-season Alpins in that would fit the 18" wheeled ID3, coming in at around £106 a tyre fully fitted with a Michelin Promo that is on periodically (£80 off 4 x 18" tyres)

[tomstring]

Many thanks for your informative reply regarding tyre size versus cost.

[Chivers]

Have you all seen this from DEKRA - an independent German consumer organisation?

https://dgaddcosprod.blob.core.windows. ... 55-r16.pdf

[colonelpurple]

My car was delivered in July 2021, and one front and one rear type had a puncture during the snow and ice conditions in the last few weeks.
Unfortunately I had to get tyres quickly so couldn't wait for the special Eco Bridgestone Enlighten that it came with and put on some normal "B" eco rated tyres (continential 6 upfront and bridgestone turanza rear). Definitively slightly grippier in the rain then the enlighten's but also noticed a loss of fuel efficiency on the motorway. Will probably go back to the enlightens, or maybe some Michelin ECO As, at the next change if I can ....

[Royboy]

Just completed 6700 miles, unfortunately had side wall puncture, at my garage was advised would soon have to replace my ID3 Bridgestone tyres as front 2.9 and 2,8 mm., rear 2.7 and 2.6 mm., I decided replace straight away as although legal limit 1.5mm., it has I had always changed when tread level 2.5mm., at cost of more than £500 replaced with a make other than Bridgestone and have Emailed Bridgestone and VW to complain.

Actual mileage is 6771, VW Family ID3., my car is generally kept in my garage at home, my pressures are checked two weekly and I am not a boy/girl racer and do not drive my car off road, I expect at least 16000 miles tyre wear (giving allowance for heavier vehicle), is this unreasonable?

[3twins]

My car has about 9500 miles now and came with Bridgestones. I rotated them at about 5000 miles and have around 3mm all round now so reckon I'll get 12000 miles before they are at 2mm when I will replace them. These tyres have a reputation for fast wear (not helped by starting of at 5.9mm and not the more common 8mm). I've found them ok for grip. My last car a Hyundai Ioniq had michelin Energy Savers 205/55 R16 size and I replaced them at 19,000 miles when they were less than half worn because they were lethal in Winter (that is cold wet and salted conditions) very very little grip appeared as if they would have lasted 40,000 miles though. I'm sure taxi drives love them!!. I replaced these with Goodyear Vector Gen 2's four season tyres which were astonishingly good in winter conditions and particularly when we had a bit of snow. I live at the top of a hill on an untreated road and in the snow and ice the car just drove up the hill no drama with the Goodyears on. In similar conditions with the Michelins I had to park the car and walk 3/4 of a mile! Didn't notice an efficency drop with the Goodyears either. I intend to replace the tyres on the ID3 with Goodyear, Michelin or Continental all season tyres when I replace these.

[smyth1492]

I’m at 11000 on my car and still loads of life yet, can’t remember what brand are on mine but they appear to grip ok in the climate in the South of England

[Royboy]

Suggest you check make/type and available depth of tread before the rain enters South of England.

[sidehaas]

Checked my 18" Contis again last night at 14000 miles. They still have 3-4mm all round which is very good really considering they only started at 5.5-6mm. I think I'll get 20000 miles out of them. It'll probably be a sensible time to change going in to next winter (which will be nearly two years old).

[gailjon]

Our Family Pro is on 21000 miles and the fronts still have around 3/4 mm left while the rears are now due to be changed at around 2mm. I think this is very good considering the weight and torque of the car. Perhaps the EV specific tyres make a difference. We have the Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance EV tyres as supplied from factory. Car actually booked in to Kwik Fit tomorrow.,

[MotMot]

My cont 19’s have 5+mm left all round. After 11000 miles. Happy with that.

[lukep]

My ID3 has been at the dealer today due to an intermittent fault with Clima functionality (posted about it a while back).

Rep has just told me that my rears have 3.5mm after 4200 miles - I drive like a grandad so something can't be right if other contributors are managing 10k, 15k etc miles.

I think my tyres are Bridgestones - never even crossed my mind to look at them after so few miles.

I'd be happy to follow this up with VW in tandem with other members if there's a concensus that there's an underlying fault/issue.

Due to take the car to France in a couple of weeks, I'd better check what their limits are!

[Chris R]

Hi Lukep,

I would get a second opinion on the tread depth before considering spending any money on new tyres, there are some very unscrupulous dealers out there ready to ‘lift your leg’

[sidehaas]

My ID3 has been at the dealer today due to an intermittent fault with Clima functionality (posted about it a while back).

Rep has just told me that my rears have 3.5mm after 4200 miles - I drive like a grandad so something can't be right if other contributors are managing 10k, 15k etc miles.

I think my tyres are Bridgestones - never even crossed my mind to look at them after so few miles.

I'd be happy to follow this up with VW in tandem with other members if there's a concensus that there's an underlying fault/issue.

Due to take the car to France in a couple of weeks, I'd better check what their limits are!

These tyres only start at about 6mm, so 3.5mm is only about 60% wear (to the 1.6mm legal limit). Definitely not time to change just yet. All the same, losing that much in 4200 miles is very poor.

[Scratch]

My ID3 has been at the dealer today due to an intermittent fault with Clima functionality (posted about it a while back).

Rep has just told me that my rears have 3.5mm after 4200 miles - I drive like a grandad so something can't be right if other contributors are managing 10k, 15k etc miles.

I think my tyres are Bridgestones - never even crossed my mind to look at them after so few miles.

I'd be happy to follow this up with VW in tandem with other members if there's a concensus that there's an underlying fault/issue.

Due to take the car to France in a couple of weeks, I'd better check what their limits are!

Check them yourself. My dealer tried the same “scam”. They insisted their “laser” depth tester was 100% accurate. That turned out to be waffle. Mine were fine, albeit still worn more than I expected them to be.

[monkeyhanger]

That 3.5mm could be 5.1mm if there's 3.5mm to the markers,with 3.5mm of legal wear actually left.

I make a point to never buy tyres from the dealership, and make sure they know it when the car goes in for anything. I'm sure they have a box of nails and screws in the workshop to insert.

However, EV tyres do seem to be considerably thinner and more prone to punctures than those generally used for ICE.