What Causes Uneven Tyre Wear?
Tyres that wear unevenly are telling you something specific about the car, and the exact pattern of wear is usually a good clue as to what's actually wrong, rather than a random fault.
Wear on both outer edges
Usually points to under-inflation. Low pressure lets the tyre flex more at the edges as it rolls, wearing them faster than the centre.
Wear in the centre only
Usually points to over-inflation, which bulges the centre of the tread outward slightly and puts more of the rolling load through the middle of the tyre rather than spreading it evenly.
Wear concentrated on one edge
Typically indicates a wheel alignment problem. If the wheel is angled slightly wrong relative to the road, one edge of the tyre bears more load than the rest, wearing it down faster in a consistent pattern along that single edge.
Patchy or cupped wear
Scalloped, uneven patches around the tyre's circumference often point to worn suspension components, like shock absorbers or bushings, no longer controlling the tyre's contact with the road smoothly, letting it bounce slightly rather than staying planted.
Why this matters beyond just tyre cost
Uneven wear is rarely just a tyre problem in isolation. It's usually a visible symptom of an alignment, suspension, or pressure issue that will keep wearing the replacement tyre the same way if the underlying cause isn't fixed first. Replacing worn tyres without addressing why they wore unevenly just repeats the problem on the new set.
Check a car's MOT history for tyre wear noted as an advisory before you buy.
Check MOT history