Tire pressure is the amount of air in an automobile’s tire measured in pounds per square inch. To be safe, you should check the amount of air in all four tires at least once a month using a pressure gauge.
Should I check the tire pressure if a technician recommends it?
For sure.
What is the point of this procedure?
Filling your vehicle’s tires with the correct amount of air is a safety issue that cannot be taken for granted. Aside from the brakes, tires are the most important safety device your car has to offer. Poor tire pressure can negatively impact cornering, braking, and stability. Even worse, it can contribute to tire failure and a bad accident. Improper tire pressure can also affect the quality of the ride, gas mileage, and tire life.
What happens if I neglect my tires?
If tires are overinflated, less of the tire’s surface area comes into contact with the ground. As a result, the vehicle will dart all over the roadway, traction is reduced, the required amount of stopping distance increases, and overall comfort is compromised.
If tires are underinflated, more of the tire’s surface area comes into contact with the ground. This increases friction between the tire and the roadway. Thus, the tires are under more stress, which leads to rapid wear and tear. Increased friction also triggers overheating, which in turn may cause the tread to separate. Tread separation is extremely unsafe and could result in a terrible accident, especially at a high rate of speed. If your tires squeal around corners, you should probably make a stop to fill them up.
Even if there are no obvious signs that your tires are leaking, you should check the tire pressure because it varies depending on the temperature outdoors. For every ten-degree drop in temperature, tire pressure is reduced by approximately one pound per square inch. For example, if you last checked your tire pressure in the middle of summer when it was 80°F, and it’s now -20°F in January, there is a good chance your tires may be dangerously underinflated by as much as ten pounds.
How do I determine the correct amount of air to put in each tire?
Many people’s gut instinct is to look directly on the tire itself to find out the exact amount of pressure it should be inflated to. However, this is misleading because the figure on the tire is actually the “maximum allowable air pressure” as opposed to the suggested pressure for that tire on a specific vehicle.
The suggested tire pressure is usually below the maximum tire pressure. Your vehicle owner’s manual will inform you how to locate the suggested pressure, which is most likely found on the driver’s side door pillar, the glove box door, or the gas tank door. Once you’re aware of the manufacturer’s suggested tire pressure, you will need a dependable tire gauge to verify the pressure. Analog (dial) or digital gauges are the most accurate, while the pencil-style gauges tend to be the least reliable.
It is recommended that you check the tire pressure when the vehicle hasn’t been driven for a few hours and has been sitting at air temperature. It is also acceptable to drive it a few blocks if you need to reach a gas station to access a pressure gauge. However, if you’ve just driven for a few miles down the highway, don’t expect a precise reading.
Don’t forget to check the pressure of all four tires and make a false assumption that since three of the tires are correctly inflated, the fourth must be identical. In fact, that last tire could even be going flat. It can’t hurt to check the spare tire periodically since the last thing you would want is to find it flat in a time of need. If your spare tire is a “donut,” or one that is smaller than your regular tires, the pressure is probably not going to be the same. The suggested pressure for the spare should appear right on the tire.
Should I monitor my tires in between scheduled maintenance intervals?
Even if you do not have any apparent problems with your tires, you should still check their pressure at the start of each season or before you leave on a long trip. Any time you do bring your car in for other scheduled maintenance, request that a service technician checks your tire pressure. Chances are, they’ll do this for free, and it’ll give you a good indication how accurate your personal pressure gauge is.
Quick tip
Even if your tires look fine to the naked eye, you should still check them with a pressure gauge. Radial tires can be even more deceiving and may still look normal even if they are over or under by ten pounds.