
est. 1979
tyres faq
Tread depths should be checked to ensure they meet the legal minimum regulations. Pressures should be checked in line with the vehicle manufacturers’ recommended settings. Take care to increase the pressure if the vehicle is heavily loaded as instructed in the manufacturers specifications. The tyre/s should also be given a thorough visual inspection to look for any cuts, lumps or bulges and ensure there are no foreign objects embedded in the tyre/s.
ADAS typically includes Traffic Message Channel (TMC), Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), Vehicular Communication Systems and other driver assistant systems.
The systems are as follows |
Vehicle Cab |
(i) Lane Departure Warning System
(ii) Lane Keeping Assist
(iii) Traffic Sign/Signal Recognition
(iv) Night Vision System
(v) Driver Status Monitor
(vi) Electric Vehicle Warning
(vii) Hill Descent Control
Front |
(i) Parking Assist
(ii) Adaptive Front/Lighting System
(iii) Adaptive Cruise Control
(iv) Pedestrian Detection
(v) Emergency Brake
Rear |
(i) Reverse Image
(ii) Parking Assist
(iii) Rear Collision Warning
Side |
(i) Surround View
(ii) Blind Spot Detection
As with any modification to your vehicle, such as a tow bar, stickers (yes, really!) or a performance air filter, you are obliged to inform your insurance company. This responsibility lies with you. However, it should not be assumed that your premium will increase as a result of fitting a CGON product. As yet, we have yet to hear from anyone that has had their premium increased, usually the insurance company just give thanks for letting them know.
At the end of the day, the obligation it yours. If you choose to inform your insurance company, the CGON ezero should be described as a fuel additive for emission reduction or an emission reduction unit. Please note that the ezero does not affect your speed or your safety and is not visually desirable (i.e appealing to thieves).
Current UK law requires car, van and LCV drivers to have at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. For trucks (vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes g.v.w), current tread depth legislation requires that they must have a minimum of 1mm of tread in a continuous band throughout the central three-quarters of the tread width and over the whole circumference of the tyre. The same regulation applies to regrooved tyres. Meanwhile, for motorcycles over 50cc it is 1mm across ¾ of the width of the tread pattern and with visible tread on the remaining ¼. For motorcycles up to 50cc the law requires that all the grooves of the original tread pattern must be clearly visible.
Under normal circumstances and to ensure the integrity of the system is maintained we would advise conducting an ADAS calibration after general repair to suspension components, geometry adjustments, windscreen replacement, bodywork replacement or repair following an accident.
When disassembling or reinstalling monitoring components such as cameras, radars, and sensors, replacing the vehicle ECU, or the vehicle height has been changed, auxiliary and other systems need to be calibrated.
To provide an example the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) calibration needs to be performed in the following cases |
(i) Repair or replace the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) radar sensor control unit
(ii) ACC radar sensor deviation angle out of normal range
(iii) Adjust position of the ACC radar sensor on the vehicle body
(iv) Repair or replace bumper or radiator grill
(v) Adjust chassis
Our technicians are certified professionals who will provide you with the necessary safety advice to ensure the intergrity of your vehicles operating systems are managed and maintained following any works that you may have done at our workshop.
Having a CGON ezero system installed will not impact on your vehicle manufacturer's warranty unless a defect occurs and it can be proven that it was a direct result of the CGON modification. This is the same for anything you install, be it telematics, aftermarket products or additives used in fuels or tank cleaners etc.
CGON's ezero systems have been installed across the world in hundreds of vehicle applications and have been tried and tested for millions of miles in various atmospheric conditions. CGON are pleased to state that none of the vehicles or engies have suffered as a consequence of installing the ezero products.
The front-view camera captures what is in front of the vehicle. It is used in a number of ADAS systems, including Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) and Traffic Sign/Signal Recognition (TSR) systems, often in conjunction with other sensors, cameras or sensing systems to provide input data.
ADAS radar sensors detect fixed and moving objects at different distances around the perimeter of a vehicle. Different Radar types and frequencies are used in various ADAS systems. Ultra short-range radar (USRR) and short-range radar (SRR) provide data for blind-spot detection (BSD) and lane-change assist (LCA), while systems including adaptive cruise control (ACC) use longer range radar.
To ensure your safety on the road your vehicle needs to have the correct tyre pressure. If the tyres are under or over inflated then handling and grip will worsen, potentially causing irregular or unpredictable car behaviour. Tyres with insufficient air are also more likely to suffer from a sudden rapid deflation and will suffer premature wear on the outside edges of the tyre. The wheel rim and tyre will be more susceptible to impact damage. Over-inflation results in less comfortable ride, a reduced area of contact with the road giving less grip in the day and accelerated wear on the tread centre . The benefits of a properly inflated tyre, include reduced running costs and longer tyre life.
Your vehicle relies on the cameras/radars/lasers used by the ADAS being in the correct alignment to function properly. As the system is not automatically self adjusting it is important to ensure the ADAS is calibrated to maintain the integrity of the vehicle's safety system. The consequences could be devastating if not.
There are two types of calibration available: static and dynamic calibration. Depending on the vehicle make and model, either static or dynamic calibration is required. However, some vehicles will require both static and dynamic calibration to properly calibrate the system.
Static calibrations require specific targets or patterns unique to each vehicle manufacturer. These types of calibrations must be performed indoors with the vehicle stationary throughout the calibration process.
Dynamic calibrations are performed by driving the vehicle on public road under specific parameters such as vehicle speed, road condition, weather, and duration of time.
Irregular tyre wear can be caused by a variety of contributing factors. Repeated scuffing of tyres against kerbs, aggressive driving, the over or under-inflation of the tyre, worn suspension components and most commonly misaligned geometry, to name a few.
We offer a free health check that will provide you with the necessary information to address these issues to eradicate irregular tyre wear and prolong tyre life, saving you money long term. Philips Garage Limited are a leading geometry specialist offering a geometry check free of charge to all customers that will verify any need for adjustment. Component replacement and geometry adjustments are priced on individual requirements following investigation.
Depending on the repairs that were done, ADAS calibrations are highly recommended in the interests of safety.
Some vehicle manufacturers require ADAS calibrations when certain parts (sensors, cameras, brackets, bumpers, etc) have been removed and installed regardless of any active MIL or DTC codes.
The force from the collision could have bumped the ADAS sensors out of alignment. Performing the ADAS calibration will ensure the vehicle is returned to its pre-collision condition.
Once the calibration process is complete, a post-calibration diagnostic scan is performed to confirm any existing diagnostic trouble code has been cleared and a calibration certificate is issued along with any other necessary documentation following the workshop appointment.
If the calibration was not successful, this would be investigated, communicated and addressed as necessary.
Recommendations in the area may differ from tyre manufacturer to manufacturer and drivers should always consult the vehicle manufacturer’s handbook for the distance that can be travelled and speed driven. Please note that standard tyres should not be run without air or this will cause irreparable damage.
Yes, a pre-calibration diagnostic scan is performed before any calibration. This verifies the vehicle’s equipped ADAS system and checks for any stored diagnostic trouble codes. After a successful ADAS calibration, a post-calibration diagnostic scan is also performed to verify all diagnostic trouble codes have been cleared.
Winter tyres are designed to specifically cope with snow and ice, as well as cold and damp conditions. Below 7 degrees celsius the tread compound in normal tyres begins to harden, providing less grip. Winter tyres use advanced silica compounds so they remain pliant in cold temperatures, giving more grip and shorter stopping distances. They also have specially designed tread patterns to give superior grip on ice and snow.
In the UK it is not a legal requirement although TyreSafe recommends they are fitted from October to March especially as they are the safest option in snow and ice, plus cold and damp conditions. UK drivers travelling to certain European countries may be required to fit winter tyres and this information is available from the Department for Transport.
The sidewall markings provide descriptive information about the tyre. The most important markings for drivers in the UK are size and type, aspect ratios load and speed rating.
This sequence of numbers on your tyre (for example 255/55 R16) indicates the size of the tyre. This is important as you will need to ensure that any tyres you fit to your vehicle are the correct size as specified in your vehicle handbook.
These tyre numbers mean (in relation to the above example):
255 – Tyre Width
This indicates the width of the tyre in millimetres from sidewall to sidewall.
55 – Aspect Ratio
These digits express the height of the tyre sidewall expressed as a percentage of the tyre width. In this example, the tyre height is 55% of its width.
R – Tyre Construction
The letter ‘R’ indicates that the tyre is of radial construction, as most tyres manufactured today are. Other types of construction include ‘B’ (bias belt) and ‘D’ (diagonal).
16 – Wheel Diameter
This figure signifies the size of the wheel rim in inches that the tyre is intended to be fitted to.
When contacting us to order or request an estimate for tyres please ensure you have this number sequence noted from your vehicle to advise our team.
From 1st November 2012 all new car tyre labels will display three key measures that will rate the tyre’s fuel efficiency, wet braking performance and exterior noise emission characteristics. The labels will help explain to motorists how tyres perform in these three key areas and help them make a more informed choice about safer and more environmentally friendly driving.
It’s better to fit all four tyres at the same time but if that is not possible then fitting two tyres at a time, and as a pair to get the best handling and grip on each axle, is the next best option. As a last resort, then a single tyre can be replaced. In all circumstances, seek our technicians advice before replacing any tyres.
New tyres on the rear axle provide better driver control on wet roads. This is because tyres with deeper tread are better at displacing water and give better grip. If the new tyres are fitted at the front the car, then it is more likely to oversteer when grip is lost in wet weather, which is much harder to control than understeer. Oversteer is when the rear of the car slides sideways, and understeer is when the front of the car slides.
It is NOT solely distilled water that is added to our system, included is our electrolyte solution which makes the hydrogen. Just using distilled water will degrade the electrolyte concentration. When a top up is required, schedule your appointment at Philips Garage, our trained, certified technicians will top up your CGON unit using the correct electrolyte liquid.