TRUCK TIRE DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Symptom Description

The splice opens in a sloped or stepped manner, with a smooth surface at the opened area.

Cause

Uneven splice surface or poor splice adhesion.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tire tread area bursts due to external impact, causing the belt layers to break and become exposed. The fracture surface appears torn, with no signs of delamination.

Cause

The tire bursts when running under high inflation pressure, high load, or high speed conditions, and strikes an obstacle or forcefully crosses a pothole or ridge.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tread surface exhibits fish-scale-like or fragmented rubber peeling, chunky loss, or flaking over the entire circumference or locally. In severe cases, belt layer steel cords may become exposed.

Cause

When the tire's inflation pressure is high, the tread rigidity increases. Under such conditions, driving on gravel roads, accelerating, or making emergency stops can cause gravel to pick or chunk out pieces of rubber from the tread

Liability

Symptom Description

Tread pattern ribs are severely chipped, with partial or full strips torn off, exposing belt layers and steel cords. Puncture points can be clearly observed.

Cause

The tread pattern ribs are punctured or cut by sharp objects. Under the centrifugal force of tire rotation and subsequent rolling/compression by the rear wheels (in dual-fitment applications), the pattern ribs tear off. This condition most commonly occurs on rib-type tread patterns.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tire crown area is punctured or pierced by a sharp object. At the puncture site, there is shoulder separation or a radial bulge on the sidewall.

Cause

While the vehicle is in motion, the tire crown is punctured or pierced by a sharp object. Prolonged operation under this condition leads to delamination between components, and in severe cases, carcass cord breakage.

Liability

Symptom Description

The bottom of the tread groove is punctured or cut, causing severe tearing of the groove-bottom rubber. Belt layers may become exposed, often accompanied by tread separation.

Cause

The tire encounters a sharp obstacle while the vehicle is in motion, causing a cut, or stones become trapped between tread ribs, leading to damage.

Liability

Symptom Description

Multiple diagonal wear patterns appear around the entire circumference of the tire. The wear direction forms an approximately 60-degree angle with the centerline of the tread.

Cause

Improper rim mounting; mismatched dual tire assemblies; poor vehicle condition, such as improper bearing adjustment or excessive toeout (front alignment).

Liability

Symptom Description

Both shoulders of the tire wear excessively around the entire circumference, becoming lower than the center tread ribs.

Cause

The tire is operated with excessively high inflation pressure, resulting in insufficient contact pressure at the shoulders. This condition is aggravated by prolonged driving with the vehicle unladen (no load).

Liability

Symptom Description

Circumferential wear occurs along the edges on both sides of the tread grooves, resembling an eroded riverbed. The wear in other areas of the tread remains normal.

Cause

Excessively high inflation pressure, frequent lane changes, excessive cargo height, or transporting loose/liquid cargoes that shift during transit.

Liability

Symptom Description

The edges of the tread pattern blocks exhibit a heel-and-toe wear pattern that is lower at the trailing edge and higher at the leading edge, creating a scalloped or fish-scale-like appearance along the circumference.

Cause

Inconsistent inflation pressure or outer diameter in dual-tire assemblies; frequent stop-start driving under heavy load and high-torque conditions; poor vehicle condition, such as insufficient suspension damping (e.g., weak shock absorbers or leaf springs).

Liability

Symptom Description

During early tire service, circumferential delamination appears at the bead turn-up area. Pressing with a finger gives a noticeable spongy or air bubble feel.

Cause

During manufacturing, incomplete compaction between components leads to trapped air or the presence of a separating medium. Unreasonable turn-up height design, etc.

Liability

Symptom Description

Delamination occurs between the sidewall rubber and the carcass, or between the sidewall rubber and the apex strip. The delamination interface appears smooth. The blowout is U-shaped, exposing the steel cord, which remains intact and shows no signs of external damage.

Cause

During manufacturing, air bubbles are trapped between components, or contaminants such as water or oil/gasoline are introduced. Poor adhesion between steel cord and rubber compound.

Liability

Symptom Description

Delamination occurs between the sidewall rubber and the carcass, or between the sidewall rubber and the apex strip, forming a bulge. No external damage is visible on the outer surface.

Cause

During manufacturing, insufficient stitching/rolling pressure leads to trapped air bubbles or the introduction of contaminants such as water or gasoline between components.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tire sidewall shows irregular wounds, with obvious scraping or abrasion marks on the surface.

Cause

During driving, the tire sidewall comes into contact with a sharp object, resulting in puncture, penetration, or subsequent bursting.

Liability

Symptom Description

The sidewall is cut, causing the carcass to rupture. The tire bursts in a "zipper-like" pattern. At the cut location, the cord ends appear neat and cut-like. In other parts, the cord ends exhibit a necking/tapering phenomenon. Cause: While driving, the tire sidewall is cut by an obstacle on the road under high inflation pressure, leading to a sudden burst.

Cause

While driving, the tire sidewall is cut by an obstacle on the road under high inflation pressure, leading to a sudden burst.

Liability

Symptom Description

The steel cords of the carcass are broken, and the tire sidewall shows a "zipper-like" burst pattern.

Cause

Prolonged parking under severe overload conditions, followed by instantaneous high-speed driving; or driving under low inflation pressure, leading to excessive flexural fatigue of the carcass cords and subsequent breakage.

Liability

Symptom Description

The steel cords of the carcass exhibit an irregular circumferential burst pattern, and obvious puncture or penetration marks are visible at the burst location.

Cause

During driving, the tire sidewall is punctured by a sharp object on the road, causing the carcass cords to break and the tire to burst under high inflation pressure.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tire is deformed, and the carcass shows crease marks due to fatigue. In severe cases, the carcass appears twisted, with tread separation or burst.

Cause

Prolonged or long-distance operation of a severely underinflated (or fully deflated) tire leads to thermal fatigue fracture of the carcass cords from repeated excessive flexing, ultimately causing the tire to fail and burst from the sidewall.

Liability

Symptom Description

A radial bulge appears on the tire sidewall, with corresponding puncture or impact marks on the shoulder/crown area.

Cause

During driving, a sharp object punctures or impacts the shoulder/crown area, causing the carcass cords to be damaged, stretched, or broken. This results in a corresponding bulge on the sidewall.

Liability

Symptom Description

A radial crack or split appears on the tire sidewall.

Cause

The sidewall is radially punctured by a sharp object, or the shoulder is impacted by an obstacle, causing extreme sidewall deformation and subsequent splitting/cracking.

Liability

Symptom Description

Obvious marks of foreign object compression/friction are present on the tire sidewall. In severe cases, cord breakage or tire burst may occur.

Cause

Obvious marks of foreign object compression/friction are present on the tire sidewall. In severe cases, cord breakage or tire burst may occur.

Liability

Symptom Description

During early service, circumferential or localized delamination appears at the bead turn-up area. Pressing with a finger gives a noticeable spongy or bubble feel.

Cause

During manufacturing, incomplete compaction between components leads to trapped air or the presence of a separating medium; or the turn-up height design is unreasonable.

Liability

Symptom Description

Cracks often appear on the inner side of the bead, at the bead heel, or within the rubber layer. The cracks are typically fine, dense, uniform, and symmetrical.

Cause

Under-cure or over-cure, resulting in brittle rubber layers and insufficient strength.

Liability

Symptom Description

The bead filler / chafer rubber is squeezed and detached by the rim, exposing the reinforcement layer. In severe cases, the bead ply pulls out (bead unseating) and causes a burst.

Cause

Use of non-standard or deformed rims; overload; frequent driving on winding or hilly roads; excessively aggressive turning, starting, or stopping.

Liability

Symptom Description

Charring/carbonization marks are present at the bead area. In severe cases, the carcass steel cords may pull out.

Cause

Malfunction of the vehicle's braking system, excessively high rim temperature, or frequent braking, leading to rubber detachment (peeling) at the tire bead area.

Liability

Symptom Description

The carcass steel cord ply shows neat/clean breakage in the upper area where the bead engages with the rim.

Cause

Under high inflation pressure and heavy load, the tire's internal pressure changes suddenly, resulting in excessive localized stress concentration at the bead area, causing the steel cords to break cleanly (circumferentially)

Liability

Symptom Description

The steel cords of the carcass are pulled out, while the corresponding bead area shows no damage.

Cause

Driving under high load and high inflation pressure; use of non-standard rims; turning with an excessively small radius at excessive speed; or the tire encountering a pothole or bump, causing impact that pulls the carcass cords out, leading to burst.

Liability

Symptom Description

The reinforcement layer (breaker) at the bead area is broken, exposing the tire's bead wire ring (steel cable).

Cause

Deformation of the rim flange (the outer lip of the wheel) or a cracked/ruptured rim edge, which cuts and damages the tire bead.

Liability

Symptom Description

Irregular circumferential or localized cracks appear between the area below the tire's water/chafer line and the rim contact surface.

Cause

Use of a non-standard rim; high load combined with high inflation pressure causing the flex point to shift downward. The deformed rim flange then impacts/stresses the bead area, leading to cracking.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tire bursts, and the bead wire ring (steel cable hoop) is fractured/broken.

Cause

Overloaded vehicle subjected to a severe external impact, causing a sudden extreme increase in localized stress at the bead area; improper tire mounting/assembly, resulting in damage to the bead area; excessive rim fatigue or rim burst, which damages the tire bead.

Liability

Symptom Description

Delamination occurs between the reinforcement layer end and the inner liner on the inner side of the bead, causing the inner liner to bulge. After dissection, the interface appears smooth.

Cause

During manufacturing, insufficient pressure bonding between components, or the presence of moisture, gasoline, etc.

Liability

Symptom Description

On the inner liner near the shoulder and sidewall areas, the arrangement of carcass steel cords is clearly visible locally or around the entire circumference.

Cause

During the curing process, irregular flow of the inner liner compound or dimensional non-conformance of semi-finished components such as the tread or cushion compound results in poor adhesion between the inner liner compound and the carcass cords, leading to delamination and exposed cords.

Liability

Symptom Description

A radial crack is present on the tire's inner liner surface, with a torn/ruptured appearance at the crack face.

Cause

While driving, the tire encounters a pothole, bump, or is struck by a foreign object, causing instantaneous excessive deformation of the tire, resulting in inner liner cracking and radial bursting at the shoulder.

Liability

Symptom Description

An obvious indentation/impression is present on the tire sidewall, with a corresponding repair patch on the inner liner.

Cause

The crown, shoulder, or sidewall was punctured or damaged by a foreign object, and a manual repair was performed using semi-mold vulcanization (hot patch / spot curing method).

Liability

Symptom Description

Obvious circumferential crease marks are present on the inner liner. In severe cases, steel cords may penetrate through the inner liner.

Cause

The tire was used under severe underinflation or extreme overload conditions, causing excessive sidewall flexing and fatigue.

Liability

Symptom Description

Shoulder separation (void/blister) is present, with a corresponding repair pad on the inner liner.

Cause

After the crown was punctured by a sharp object and manually repaired, impurities or trapped air remained between the components. As the tire rolled and temperature continuously increased, the components eventually separated, leading to a burst.

Liability

Symptom Description

Bead void/separation (hollow area) is present, with a corresponding scratch mark on the inner liner.

Cause

During tire mounting/installation, the tire mounter (mounting head) scratched the inner liner at the bead area. While driving, air continuously permeated along the steel cord gaps, forming air pockets that impacted the sidewall rubber, eventually causing the air to burst through the sidewall rubber.

Liability

Symptom Description

Radial cracks are clearly visible on the inner liner near the shoulder and sidewall areas, either locally or around the entire circumference.

Cause

The tire was driven for an extended period under low inflation pressure, causing excessive internal temperatures that weakened the performance/integrity of the inner liner.

Liability

Symptom Description

The rupture is located in the middle area between the tread and sidewall. The rubber inside the shoulder separates from the fabric layer(s). The cord fabric shows a neat, even break. (Note: Exposed wires on the inside may be determined as a non-quality-related issue.)

Cause

Poor adhesion between the shoulder compound and the fabric layer(s); under-cure or over-cure resulting in incomplete vulcanization, leading to a spongy structure, voids, or delamination.

Liability

Symptom Description

Shoulder delamination accompanied by circumferential cracking, with the exudation of rubber crumbs and solvent-like substances. After dissection, the exudate at the delamination area feels sticky to the touch.

Cause

Under-cure, or volatile solvent not fully dried during tire building.

Liability

Symptom Description

The belt layer ends are exposed at the shoulder area. In severe cases, carcass steel cords are broken, and there are clear puncture marks on the surface.

Cause

While the vehicle is in motion, the tire is punctured by a sharp object, severing the belt layers or carcass cords, resulting in a burst at the puncture site.

Liability

Symptom Description

The tire shoulder exhibits a condition resembling shoulder separation due to a cut or abrasion. The interface appears torn, rather than showing delamination between components.

Cause

The tire shoulder is cut by a sharp object or scrapes against an obstacle, creating a wound. As the tire rolls, repeated friction within the wound causes the crack to continuously propagate.

Liability

Symptom Description

The shoulder area is cut by an obstacle or subjected to excessive force, resulting in obvious tearing marks or localized breakage/fracture at the shoulder.

Cause

During operation, excessive speed, taking corners too sharply, or encountering an obstacle causes the bottom of the tread groove to pry open or tear.

Liability

Symptom Description

Circumferential cut on the tire shoulder, exposing the carcass steel cord.

Cause

The tire is cut by an obstacle during operation; in severe cases, this may cause a blowout at the cut.

Liability

Symptom Description

Separation between the sidewall rubber and the carcass steel cords, with broken cords.

Cause

During rotation, the tire shoulder impacts obstacles or encounters potholes/ridges, causing the carcass cords to stretch or break.

Liability