Guides
What UAE drivers should know about their tyres
Four in-depth guides and a price guide, written by technicians who change tyres every night in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
- 01Tyre Pressure Guide UAE: Correct PSI for Heat and Sand
Correct tyre pressure for UAE cars: placard psi by vehicle type, cold vs hot readings in summer heat, airing down for sand, nitrogen and TPMS explained.
- 02How to Read Tyre Size: UAE Guide to Sidewall Markings
Read a tyre size like 225/45 R17 94W: width, profile, rim, load index, speed rating, DOT date code, XL and run-flat marks, and safe plus-sizing in the UAE.
- 03Tyre Maintenance in the UAE: Tread, Rotation, Age
UAE tyre maintenance: replace at 3 mm tread, rotate every 8,000–10,000 km, check pressure monthly and retire tyres at about 5 years in the heat.
- 04Tyre Performance in the UAE: Types, Labels, Heat
Compare UHP, touring, H/T, A/T, M/T, run-flat and EV tyres for UAE heat and sand: grip, noise, tread life, EU labels and UTQG grades explained.
- 05Tyre prices in the UAE
What to know before you buy a tyre in the UAE
- 225 Width
- Tread width in millimetres, sidewall to sidewall.
- 45 Aspect ratio
- Sidewall height is 45% of the width. Lower = thinner sidewall.
- R Construction
- R means radial — what virtually every car on the road uses.
- 17 Rim diameter
- Wheel size in inches. Must match your rim exactly.
- 94 Load index
- 94 = 670 kg per tyre. Never go below the factory number.
- W Speed rating
- W = up to 270 km/h. H = 210, V = 240, Y = 300.
Read pressure cold. In summer it climbs 3–4 psi after 20 minutes on a 65°C road surface.
Your car's correct number is on the driver's door-jamb placard — not the figure on the tyre sidewall, which is the maximum.
- Small car (Yaris, Sunny)30–33 psi
- Sedan (Camry, Altima)32–36 psi
- Mid SUV (RAV4, Tucson)33–36 psi
- Large SUV (Land Cruiser, Patrol)32–38 psi
- Loaded pickup (Hilux)35–44 rear psi
- Sand / dune driving15–18 psi
- Every 2 weeksCheck pressures cold, in the morning before you drive.
- Every 8,000–10,000 kmRotate tyres front-to-back for even wear.
- Every 10,000 km or after a kerb hitAlignment check if the car pulls or one edge wears faster.
- At 3 mm treadStart planning replacement. Legal minimum is 1.6 mm.
- 5 years from DOT dateReplace even if tread looks fine — UAE heat hardens the rubber.
Common causes of tyre damage in the UAE
Most of the tyres we replace at night never reached the end of their tread. Heat, pressure and age are usually the story.
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Heat
Road surfaces reach 65–70°C in July. Rubber hardens and cracks faster, and an under-inflated tyre runs hotter until it lets go.
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Low pressure
Running 20% under pressure increases sidewall flex and internal heat. It's the main cause of highway blowouts.
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Age
A six-year-old tyre can look new and still have lost its flexibility. Check the DOT code: the last four digits are week and year.
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Nails and site debris
Communities still under construction — Dubai South, Al Furjan — are full of screws and nails. Most are repairable if they're in the tread.
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Out of alignment
One speed bump or kerb taken badly can knock alignment out. The inner edge then wears through in a few thousand km.
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Overloading
Family cars packed for a road trip and work pickups easily exceed the load index, so the tyre overheats and degrades.
Habits that add a year to a set of tyres
- Check pressure every two weeks, cold, in the morning
- Park in shade or a basement through summer when you can
- Ask for a DOT date under 12 months old when buying
- Rotate tyres every 8,000–10,000 km
- Air down to 15–18 psi for sand, then re-inflate before the highway
- Don't ignore a shaking steering wheel — usually balancing or a bent rim
Types of car tyres
Prices are rough starting points per tyre in common sizes, fitted at your location.
- 01
Touring / comfort
Camry, Altima, Accord
Quiet tread and long life (50–70k km). The sensible choice for most daily commuters.
from AED 260 - 02
UHP performance
BMW M, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche
Softer compounds for more grip and shorter braking, at the cost of life (25–40k km).
from AED 650 - 03
H/T highway terrain
Land Cruiser, Patrol, Tahoe
SUV tyres built for tarmac: quiet and stable at sustained speed on the E11 and E311.
from AED 480 - 04
A/T all-terrain
Wrangler, Hilux, FJ Cruiser
A tread that balances road and sand. A little louder, but shrugs off gravel and dunes.
from AED 560 - 05
M/T mud-terrain
Wrangler Rubicon, modified Patrol
Big tread blocks for rocks and wadis. Noisy on tarmac and not meant for the daily drive.
from AED 750 - 06
Run-flat
BMW, Mini, some Mercedes
Reinforced sidewalls let you drive 80 km at 80 km/h after a puncture. Firmer, pricier, often not repairable.
from AED 700 - 07
EV tyres
Tesla, BYD, Polestar
Low rolling resistance, acoustic foam inside, and higher load ratings for battery weight.
from AED 620
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