Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: tonyyeb on 27 March 2011, 22:22:22

Title: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: tonyyeb on 27 March 2011, 22:22:22
When my Elite went through the MoT a couple of weeks back, it passed with a couple of advisories, one being "damage to inner sidewall of o/s/f tyre".
Had to wait to get paid to put a couple of new Continental Sport Contacts on the fronts, and thus have the first opportunity to inspect said 'damage' to the old tyre.

I couldn't believe it when the tyre came off :o
There was a ragged, non-linear split around the entire circumference of the tyre, a budget Autoguard still with plenty of tread on it. The tyre was full of rainwater, and it may well have been this that contributed to directional instability under heavy braking! It was on the car when I bought it, and I know that I haven't damaged it during my ownership, so it is impossible to know what might have caused it. It certainly looks like failure of the tyre through manufacturing fault, not external or malicious damage.

It chills me to think that I've done some fairly serious speeds with this potential killer on board....

Do you think I should take it up with the garage that passed it as acceptably safe?? 
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: Entwood on 27 March 2011, 22:35:24
Quote
When my Elite went through the MoT a couple of weeks back, it passed with a couple of advisories, one being "damage to inner sidewall of o/s/f tyre".
Had to wait to get paid to put a couple of new Continental Sport Contacts on the fronts, and thus have the first opportunity to inspect said 'damage' to the old tyre.

I couldn't believe it when the tyre came off :o
There was a ragged, non-linear split around the entire circumference of the tyre, a budget Autoguard still with plenty of tread on it. The tyre was full of rainwater, and it may well have been this that contributed to directional instability under heavy braking! It was on the car when I bought it, and I know that I haven't damaged it during my ownership, so it is impossible to know what might have caused it. It certainly looks like failure of the tyre through manufacturing fault, not external or malicious damage.

It chills me to think that I've done some fairly serious speeds with this potential killer on board....

Do you think I should take it up with the garage that passed it as acceptably safe?? 

There's the problem for the garage .. they have to look at the tyre while it is on the wheel and on the car .. makes a full examination tricky ..... especially on the inner side. It was obviously not leaking air .. or it would have been flat .. so perhaps they thought it was just surface damage.

I am somewhat confused as to how it could be "full of rainwater" and still hold air pressure .....  if rain can get in ... air can get out .... much faster !!!  :)
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: dbug on 27 March 2011, 23:00:45
Don't you ever look at your tyres mate???

Not a lot of sympathy if you don't.  >:(
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: TheBoy on 28 March 2011, 08:24:57
The MOTer probably wasn't able to determine condition fully, hence adviso.

Advisos are meant for you to get it checked at first opportunity, not wait until next MOT where it may or may not fail ;). So, given what we know, I think MOTer did the right thing.

Remember, the MOT is not a replacement for your own safety checks...
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: tonyyeb on 28 March 2011, 09:18:28
Quote
Don't you ever look at your tyres mate???

Not a lot of sympathy if you don't.  >:(

I'm not in the habit of looking at the inner sidewalls, no.
I doubt that many do.
I will be doing so from now on though, I can assure you  8-)
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: TheBoy on 28 March 2011, 09:46:16
Quote
Quote
Don't you ever look at your tyres mate???

Not a lot of sympathy if you don't.  >:(

I'm not in the habit of looking at the inner sidewalls, no.
I doubt that many do.
I will be doing so from now on though, I can assure you  8-)
Yes, always worth regularly checking. I tend to do mine whenever its jacked up, and certainly every time I visually check the pads, as you have to remove wheel.

Whenever I get a different car, its one of the first jobs, as always give it a check over.
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: sierrapaul on 28 March 2011, 10:41:12
if its split all round the sidewall it sounds like its been run flat or very low on air.but then again its an autogaurd and they are rubbish.paul
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: o-meg-a on 28 March 2011, 20:53:36
I doubt the water in it is anything to do with the sidewall damage.
Probably accumulation from a rather poor air pump with high water content, combined with a slow puncture. Water and air in.....air out.......water and air in....etc.

side wall damage can occur in many ways, wearing on a sticking out arm, arches etc, or as said, running low on air, or flat for a prolonged period.

I think if the MOT tester had the car on ramps at anytime he would have seen the inside of the tyre fairly easily, so i dont think accessability is an excuse, but as said, if holding air, with good tread and no apparent reason for the cause, an advisory is sufficient. Encouraging, if not TELLING you, to get it check and fixed at your next available opportunity.

You would blame the MOT tester if they advised you on your handbrake performance and the next month you found your car rolled down a hill and into oncoming traffic.
No, you'd sort it out.

Best bet...new tyres. job done.
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: dbug on 28 March 2011, 23:08:01
Quote
Quote
Don't you ever look at your tyres mate???

Not a lot of sympathy if you don't.  >:(

I'm not in the habit of looking at the inner sidewalls, no.
I doubt that many do.
I will be doing so from now on though, I can assure you  8-)
0

And so you should - its not only your life but maybe the lives of other road users at risk.
Title: Re: Should my 'advisory' have been a 'fail'?
Post by: lee4206 on 30 March 2011, 21:19:41
If the damage was not deep enough to expose cords(or sign of) then there's nothing we can do about it other than advise.  From what you described it was the side wall separating rather than damage which is quite common with cheap tyres.  As for the water inside the tyre that would be nothing to do with the split, it was either there when the tyre was fitted or it was left deflated for a long time.
So i would say that  advisory was the right decision.
Lee