Why Does a Car Tire Crack? Why Does It Rot?

We’ll continue our vehicle maintenance articles with car tires. Why does a car tire rot? Why does a car tire crack. We’ll look at what can be done to prevent tires from rotting.

A tire may look perfect from a distance, but look closely and you’ll see plenty of signs of wear and tear on the surface. This is normal — especially if the tire’s grooves have flattened out over time. However, if you see small or surface cracks, that’s a problem. Often called tire rot, these small, hairline-thin cracks that grow over time can significantly reduce the tire’s life and its performance on the road.

Why Does a Car Tire Crack?

What causes tire cracking and rot?

Ozone and ultraviolet rays
Man-made chemicals
Oxidation
Bad driving habits

UV Rays

This may explain why urban areas, with lots of pollution mixing with ozone gas and solar radiation, have more issues with tire cracking or rot.

Man-Made Chemicals

Your tires have built-in protective layers, but if you constantly use harsh detergents and other cleaning chemicals on them, these layers can peel away. This exposes them to radiation, ozone gases, and other harsh elements that can cause small, light cracks to appear.

rotted, cracked tire, how to prevent tire rot — Certain chemicals can be the cause of hairline tire cracking on vehicles

Oxidation

This is an inevitable process. As tires age, they lose their elasticity, much like an apple ripens and eventually rots.

That said, higher temperatures make the oxidation process even worse, so living somewhere hotter and drier makes you more prone to increased cracking in your tires.

Bad Driving Habits

Rapid acceleration and scraping against concrete (sudden braking, sudden starts, etc.) can age your tires prematurely, making them prone to damage and rot. Another cause of increased cracking in tires is driving with under-inflated or over-inflated tires, which puts strain on the tire’s sidewall.

Effect of UV Rays

UV rays in sunlight are among the most important factors that cause tire rubber to harden and crack over time.

Ozone-Related Wear

Ozone gas in the air accelerates a chemical breakdown process that leads to micro-cracks on the tire surface.

Keeping Correct Pressure

Low tire pressure causes the sidewalls to flex excessively, increasing the risk of premature cracking.

How to Prevent Tire Cracking

Good Driving Habits and Maintenance Practices.
You can reduce your vehicle’s risk of a tire blowout by adopting safe driving and good driving habits. This is connected to things like not making sudden stops on the road, not scraping your tires against the curb while parking, keeping your tires filled with the correct amount of air, and cleaning your tires with non-abrasive materials.

what should be done to keep tires from rotting — Hairline marks on tires can lead to deep cracks if neglected

Use Your Tires

Don’t park your car in the garage all year; your car’s tires are manufactured for regular use. If you don’t drive your car for a long time, your tires will lose their flexibility. To preserve their flexibility for much longer, drive at least once a month.

Use a Tire Protectant

There are many tire protectants that help reduce damage from ozone and ultraviolet radiation. They usually coat the tire to add another extra protective layer.

Ideally, it’s best to choose water-based protectants, but you can also choose oil-based ones as long as their ingredients don’t include harsh chemicals.

Replace Your Tires

Many manufacturers recommend replacing tires 10 years after purchase. Of course, if you’re subjecting the tires to a lot of daily stress and harsh elements, this period can be shorter.