How does frigid air affect your tires?
Nov 16, 2016; 9:55 AM ET Winter is almost here, and that means its time to check your tire pressure.
There are many different driving and preparation techniques car owners should keep in mind during the winter, from safely driving on snow and keeping an eye out for black ice, to understanding what items to have in your roadside emergency kit.
Perhaps one of the most important routine maintenance steps car owners should take during the winter is persistently checking their tire pressure.
Cold air can cause a tire’s pressure to decrease. According to Goodyear, for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature drop, tires will drop 1-2 pounds of pressure. It is important to keep your tires within the recommended pounds per square inch (PSI) to maintain traction, handling and durability.
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Driving on underinflated tires can be detrimental to your vehicle, according to Richard Reina, product training director at CARiD.com.
“An underinflated tire will not handle as well. It will not hold the load of the vehicle as well and that becomes more critical as you have more passengers and cargo in the vehicle,” he said.
Your vehicle's gas mileage can also be negatively impacted.
Tires heat up when the vehicle is in motion. In extreme circumstances, an underinflated tire could overheat and blow out due to lack of air pressure, he said.
Many modern vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that can automatically determine when a tire's pressure may be below the proper levels.
Reina cautions that drivers should not simply wait for the TPMS warning light to flash on their instrument panel to check and see if their tire pressure is low.
"I think [it's best to check tire pressure] once a month, or when you fill up your car, which might be twice a month for some people," he said.
Other agencies such as the American Automobile Association (AAA) suggest checking tire pressure once a week and always before any long road trip. If you need to fill up your tires with air, AAA reminds drivers that the proper tire pressure can be found in your vehicle's owner's manual or along the driver-side doorframe.
For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready.
