We’ve all heard the joke about putting winter air in your tires. That being said, it’s not really a joke – you should be checking your tires and putting air in as needed not just with the change of seasons, but on a regular basis.
We often forget about tire pressure until our Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) warning light comes on. After all, out of sight, out of mind. But we shouldn’t be waiting for the TPMS light – or worse, a flat tire – to think about our tire pressure. Start making tire pressure a regular point of maintenance on your vehicle!
All tires lose pressure over time due to seepage, and ambient air temperature changes. Small fluctuations are not a huge worry for your vehicle. However, there are four key reasons to check your tire pressures regularly.
1. Driving Safety: The main reason is because under- or overinflated tires lead to poor handling, poor responsiveness, and an increased tendency to hydroplane in wet conditions. Why risk driving safely over such a simple task?
2. Fuel Economy: A tire running at low pressure builds up rolling resistance, which requires a greater power output – which means your car will need to burn more fuel! The U.S. Department of Energy estimates you can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3% by making sure your tires are properly inflated.
3. Tire Wear: Improper inflation leads to greater wear and stresses on the tires, outside of the normal expected wear spots. This can reduce tire life by thousands of miles, and raise ownership cost over the life of your vehicle.
4. Leak Detection: An ill-fitting tire or minor damage can cause a progressive air leak from your tires. It could take weeks for this to come to a head, but it could leave you stranded at the worst of times. Regular checks help you detect leaks early and helps to avoid being stuck with a flat.
It’s clear you need to check your tires regularly – so what’s the best way to go about it?
Easy to use and convenient, a tire pressure gauge can be tossed in your glove box or center console. They don’t take up much room. You can get the simple, manual pencil-style gauges, round-face gauges, and digital gauges – check them out and see what works best from you, there is no “best” gauge.
To start, make sure you are checking the pressure in a “cold” tire, as friction from driving causes tires to warm up and alter the reading. To use your gauge, simply remove the tire stem caps and push the gauge onto the valve stem. You need to push it on tightly, and you should not hear any hissing sound coming out of the stem. If it’s hissing, make sure to be pressing down firmly and move the gauge around until there is no further hissing.
You may need to reset your gauge between tires – this could be as simple as pushing the sliding scale in your pencil gauge back in, or resetting your digital read-out. Check the manual for your gauge to see what is appropriate.
Also note that many air machines have a gauge or readout that will show your tire pressure. These can be used as well, but are not as convenient. With your own tire pressure gauge, you can do it at the pump while filling up, or at home in the comfort of your warm garage.
Every vehicle comes with a recommended tire pressure. You can find it in the owner’s manual, and it is usually also found on a sticker on the inside sill of the driver’s or rear driver’s-side door. It will be listed in PSI, and may note specific pressures for front and rear tires.
You’ll also see a tire pressure on the sidewall of your tires. This is not the recommended inflation level for the vehicle. This is the maximum tire pressure allowed for the tire. If this is above the recommended inflation level for your vehicle, great! Just go with the recommended PSI in the owner’s manual and you’ll be good. If this is below the recommended inflation level for your vehicle, you should consider getting a new set of tires that is appropriate.
We recommend that you should check your tire pressure AT LEAST once per month. Optimally, you should check them every other week, especially if you are filling up your gas tank every 12-14 days – just check them while you’re doing your fill up! Especially if you are driving more frequently, or long distances, you’ll want to check your tires more often. Even if it’s only been a week or two, if you’re out on a road trip of hundreds or thousands of miles, it’d be a good idea to check your pressures again.
Checking your tire pressure is a quick and easy maintenance step that can ensure you get the most out of your vehicle. If you haven’t recently, check your tire pressures now – and make sure to make it a regular habit to save money and ensure your driving safety! Need help with tire pressure? Contact our staff at Team Toyota of Glen Mills and we’ll have you on the road in no time!
