Many drivers don't give a great deal of thought to tire pressure, let alone worry about low tire pressure—but they should. Inadequate tire inflation can shorten the life of your car's tires, negatively affect your vehicle's performance, and maybe even cause a tire to fail. You absolutely want to avoid letting your tire pressure get too low.
Low tire pressure can cause a blowout. Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of suffering a tire blowout knows how traumatic it can be. When air pressure gets too low, the tire's sidewalls flex more, and heat builds up within the tire. If the overheating gets severe, a section of the tire's rubber can separate from its carcass—the mix of fabric and steel that the tire is built on. If this happens suddenly, a blowout can result. A blowout is sudden and unexpected and can cause a loss of control that leads to an accident.
The biggest chance of this happening is when you're on the interstate at higher speeds; there's less of a chance in stop-and-go driving because the tire is turning slowly and not building up as much heat. Still, even at lower speeds, there are dangers. A tire with less air in it is softer, deflects more readily, and is more easily punctured by the sharp edge of a pothole.
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Low tire pressure worsens fuel economy. That's because an underinflated tire has a great resistance to rolling. Think of riding a bicycle: When the tires are properly filled, the bike is easy to pedal. But if the tires are low on air, the effort increases dramatically. It's the same with your car. It takes more energy to move it when the tires are low, and that extra grunt comes from the engine working harder, which uses more fuel.
According to the EPA, you can boost your car's mileage up to 3 percent in certain cases by making sure your tires are inflated at the proper pressure. We think that's a conservative number.
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Low tire pressure hurts your car's handling as well.
When a tire is underinflated, its sidewalls flex more than they were designed to during cornering and braking. The tread, the contact point with the road, squirms. The tire is less stable and has less traction. Response to your steering inputs gets slower and sloppy, and braking distances lengthen. Low tire pressure can be especially harmful during an emergency situation, when you're trying to avoid an accident and you need every ounce of your car's responsiveness and cornering or braking traction. Low tire pressure robs your tires of the grip and responsiveness they need to help you avoid accidents.
Low tire pressure also reduces tire life. Because low tire pressure distorts the tire's footprint—where your car's rubber contacts the road—tire wear can increase dramatically. This often shows up in unusually heavy wear on both a tire's inner and outer shoulders. This damage will shorten a tire's life, leading to premature replacement of this costly vehicle component.
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Are Your Vehicle's Tires Underinflated?There's a quick and easy way to tell if your car has low tire pressure:
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it's good practice to check tire pressure at least once a month.
Also be aware that swings in temperature can affect the pressure in your tires. For every ten degrees the temperature drops, tire pressure drops one pound. So the difference between summer highs and winter lows can cause a significant loss of tire pressure—another good reason to check pressures monthly.
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At this point, you may be wondering about the value of a tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Federal law requires automakers to provide a TPMS as standard equipment. This law went into effect in 2008, so all vehicles that are 2008 or newer have this amenity.
A TPMS warns the driver when tires are low on air, but this warning isn't issued until a tire's air pressure is 25 percent below the automaker's recommended pounds per square inch. That amount of underinflation is severe. A TPMS won't alert you to the type of mild to moderate underinflation that can have a mild effect on performance or fuel economy, which you don't want either.
Maintaining adequate tire pressure allows your vehicle to deliver the fuel economy, handling, and safety it was built to provide. Checking your vehicle for low tire pressure every month can optimize your car's performance and save you money at the gas pump. Do it!
For everything you need to know about buying and maintaining tires, click here.
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This is the gauge that we gauge good enough to use in the Car and Driver test garage. We set all of our test vehicles' tire pressures precisely to ensure that they perform their best in our comprehensive testing program. This low-cost Accutire digital gauge works beautifully. It reads in half-pound increments, so you can set your tires' pressures as accurately as we do.
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This analog gauge is to modern digital gauges what a typewriter is to a laptop computer.
While it's ancient technology, it's still far better than nothing, and it will help you to keep your tires in the correct inflation range—and do it for a rock-bottom price. But we recommend (and use) the Accutire gauge, so that should tell you where we stand.
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We have experience with Joes digital pressure gauges, so we trust this analog unit to be highly accurate as well. Joes supplies teams in many racing series, and racers require precise tire pressures to get the best performance out of their racing machines. One of these will serve you well.
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Like Joes, Longacre sells to racers, and some of its most precise digital pro gauges cost hundreds of dollars. Even this lower-cost digital gauge has some advantages over analog units: It's easier to read and displays pressure in 0.2-psi increments, plus Longacre claims it's accurate to 0.8 percent. That should be more than enough for just about anyone.
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It's one thing to just read tire pressure—having the ability to add air is a helpful bonus. This top-rated inflator from Amazon reads pressures from 0 to 250 psi and has a claimed accuracy within 1 percent. The LED screen is powered by two included AAA batteries. To add air, you'll just need an air compressor.
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If you plan to measure tire pressures for heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks and RVs, this is the gauge to buy. Equipped with a flashlight, a crisp LED display, and a dual head to check inner and outer valve stems, this gauge is a great product to stow in your glovebox. And with a readable range from 0 to 230 psi, it'll work for just about anything.
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The folks at Intercomp know how important tire pressure is, as they specialize in accurate gauges for industrial and performance applications.
This one is the cream of the crop, with a quick digital gauge and a claimed accuracy within 0.1 percent. With a thumb-operated dual bleeder and a 22-inch hose, this tool will get your car back on the track safely and promptly.
Chances are, your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system. According to Bridgestone, “the purpose of the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in your vehicle is to warn you that at least one or more tires are significantly under-inflated, possibly creating unsafe driving conditions. The TPMS low tire pressure indicator is a yellow symbol that illuminates on the dashboard instrument panel in the shape of a tire cross-section (that resembles a horseshoe) with an exclamation point.” TPMS is present in vehicles from 2008 or later and comes on when tire pressure is below 25% manufacturer preferred psi. Many newer vehicles will display a message saying ‘low tire pressure’ and even indicate which tire is experiencing low tire pressure.
Why You Shouldn’t Drive with Low Tire Pressure
A national study conducted by Schrader International, the leading global manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions, found that only “58 percent of drivers could properly identify the lifesaving TPMS warning symbol.” This is an important finding because there are about 11,000 tire-related crashes that happen each year.
When you continue to drive on a tire with low pressure, you run the risk of tire failure. Imagine you’re driving 60 mph on a highway and your tire blows. An incident like this can cause you to lose control of your vehicle at a high speed — endangering yourself, your passengers and others on the road. In addition, low tire pressure negatively affects fuel economy and causes tires to wear out much more quickly.
What to Do When Your Low Tire Pressure Light Comes On
Don’t ignore the low tire pressure light. When you can safely check the air pressure in all of your tires, do so.
Even if you are in a newer vehicle that indicates which tire is low, it pays to check all of the tires and adjust air pressure accordingly. Weather can also play a role in tire pressure. Colder weather can cause tire pressure to slightly drop, so continue to periodically check tire pressure levels in all of your tires when completing your maintenance checklist.
If tire pressure continues to drop even after filling your tire with air, you could have a hole causing air to escape. Make an appointment with an auto repair shop to have your tires evaluated. Best case scenario is your tire can be patched to fill the hole or you may need new tires.
Don’t Rely Solely on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Systems that monitor tire pressure are in vehicles to warn operators of air leaks, but you shouldn’t rely heavily on them. As a responsible driver you should be inspecting your vehicle periodically for maintenance issues. Doing your own inspections allows you to catch and correct issues before they become big safety hazards.
Ensure your vehicle is receiving the necessary maintenance. When you have your oil changed at a garage they should also check your tires for ware and provide balancing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when it comes to the work being done on your vehicle.
Interested in learning more from Top Driver? Click here to check out our full list of safe driving tips.
This entry was posted in Top Driver Blog. Bookmark the permalink.The tire pressure of a car is one of the most important parameters for the safe operation of a car, which the car owner must check most often.
Compliant tire pressures keep your tires in good condition, increase vehicle performance and drive safely.
In addition, tire pressure has an effect on the vehicle's fuel consumption.
Reduced pressure significantly increases fuel consumption and negatively affects the service life: even a slightly flat tire can immediately increase fuel consumption by at least 10%, and tire wear will increase by 30%. Reduced pressure causes a violation of the structure of the rubber, which subsequently leads to the formation of an incorrect tire angle. Incorrect inclination of a car tire, in turn, can seriously impair the technical characteristics associated with the stability and controllability of the car, which complicates cornering, increases braking distance, provokes skidding, etc. nine0005
As a rule, the manufacturer himself answers the question about the optimal tire pressure indicators. There is no single, generally accepted such indicator; everything is individual for each specific car model. Information about the recommended tire pressure value is indicated in the operating instructions for a particular make and model of a car, is placed in the form of information stickers placed inside the car or, if the car is old and does not have a manual, then such useful information can be published on the Internet.
It is to such indicators that one should strive, at least in the beginning. The pressure standards indicated on car tires indicate the maximum allowable value for a particular rubber model; it is strongly not recommended to follow them unconditionally. Tires should be inflated taking into account seasonality, the quality and condition of the road surface and weather conditions. nine0005
Depending on the nature and quality of the road surface and seasonal conditions under which it is planned to operate the vehicle, it is allowed:
Checking the tire pressure of a car is done with a pressure gauge attached to the wheel nipple. It is necessary to measure the pressure in cold tires, because during rotation and movement the tires not only heat up, but also increase the pressure by about 20-25%, which can give incorrect measurement results.
Therefore, upon arrival, immediately before starting to measure the pressure, you must wait 2-3 hours until the tires have cooled down. nine0005
In order to obtain the most accurate measurements, firmly attach the pressure gauge to the nipple, pressing it firmly until the sound of bleed air disappears. Thus, the pressure is checked immediately in all the tires of the car. On average, the recommended tire pressure for passenger cars varies in the range of 2.0-2.3 atm. The recommended pressure indicators must be observed in all tires at once, inflating tires to the same values for all tires. In the event of non-compliance or discrepancies in pressure readings, the result may be a loss of vehicle stability on the road. nine0005
If the obtained tire pressures do not correspond to the recommended values, then the wheels should be inflated. It is widely believed among motorists that pumped tires contribute to fuel economy. This is partly true, but saving on fuel consumption, there is a high risk of early tire wear and loss of some of the technical characteristics, which in the end can result in additional unforeseen costs.
In addition, it will be useful to take into account the fact that the recommended tire pressure values for foreign-made cars are usually indicated for the quality level of the road surface of the country of origin of the car. Of course, in relation to the conditions of Russian reality, it is necessary to take into account the quality of Russian roads, which does not always correspond to foreign analogues, and sometimes lower the tires, easing the load on the car's suspension. nine0005
Winter tires and tire pressure indicators in winter deserve special attention. The winter tire is used in severe weather conditions, therefore it is allowed that the pressure in the front tires slightly exceeds the recommended values, on average, the allowable excess is 0.1-0.3 atm. Such recommendations are explained by the fact that such measures will improve the stability characteristics of the wheels, improve the ability to endure lateral loads. In general, it will positively affect the car's handling as a whole and increase reliability when making particularly sharp maneuvers on winter roads.
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Rating of the best studded winter tires according to the results of the 2013-2014 season:
In winter, it is recommended to increase the frequency of tire pressure checks to one check every 2-3 weeks with an average vehicle usage rhythm. In addition, it should be borne in mind that a sharp decrease in outside temperature provokes a decrease in tire pressure. nineexpander.close}}-{{/expander.close}}
Incorrect tire pressure can have serious consequences. If the tire pressure is too low, the vehicle's performance becomes weaker, such as the ability to maneuver in hydroplaning situations. Low tire pressure also increases stopping distance. According to tests carried out by ADAC, if the pressure in one of the front tires is 1 bar (100 kPa) below the recommended pressure, the braking distance on wet roads is increased by 10 meters. If the pressure of all tires is 1 bar below the recommended pressure, the side grip of the tires will be reduced by 55 percent. Low tire pressure also leads to rapid tire wear, reduced mileage and even bursting. If the tire pressure is approximately 30 percent lower than required, tire life will be cut in half. With the right pressure, the tires steer precisely and roll easily. This reduces fuel consumption and improves driving comfort.
