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Volkswagen Golf Mk7 Service & Repair Manual: Flat spots caused by hard braking

This page explains flat spots from hard braking on a rough surface like tarmac — only a certain area of the Volkswagen Golf Mk7 tyre abrades during that manoeuvre, distinguishing it from other flat spot causes.

  This type of flat spots may be caused by hard braking on a rough surface such as a tarmac road.
During this type of braking manoeuvre only a certain area of the tyre is abraded accordingly and therefore causes an imbalance.
Consequently, a flat spot caused by hard braking results in vibration in the vehicle, deteriorated vehicle handling and increased noise.
In most cases, a wheel with this kind of tyre tends to lock again in the area with the larger contact surface between road and tyre even at lower braking forces and therefore cause even higher vibration.
If the flat spot caused by hard braking is not too significant, the vibrations may stop after the tyre has been worn all-round accordingly.
  Caution
“Significant” flat spots caused by hard braking cannot be repaired. Such tyres must be renewed.
 

    Questions & answers

    Flat spots caused by hard braking — Volkswagen Golf Mk7

    What are braking flat spots on Golf Mk7 tyres?
    Flat areas worn into the tread by wheel lock-up during emergency braking. They produce permanent thumping and the tyre must be replaced.
    Undulations
    Radial depressions are slight concavities in the tyre sidewall. They run from the bead towards the shoulder of the tyre. These parts appear in ...

    Swellings in the tyre sidewall
    A swelling in the sidewall of the tyre indicates that the substructure of the carcass has been damaged.     Typic ...