Check Your Tires After a Cold Snap

Have you ever observed that your car's tires seem a bit deflated and require air when the temperature drops, or are the TPMS sensors acting up and flashing the tire pressure warning light in your tired face? The worst-case situation is that you might have a puncture, a slow leak, or malfunctioning tire pressure sensors, which, although they increase the driver's awareness of underinflated tires, arenot completely as precise as portable tire pressure gaugesat showing the real tire pressure.

However, you likely just need to add air following a cold spell, particularly if your tires are fairly new and in excellent condition. Cold temperatures make air molecules move more slowly, causing them to contract and occupy less space within the tire, which generally results in a slight decrease in air pressure. How much, you might wonder? The arrival of winter and frost can lead to a drop in tire pressure by approximately 1 pound per square inch (psi) for every 10-degree Fahrenheit decrease in temperature.

Now, a 1 psi decrease in air pressure might appear minor and unimportant, but here's something to think about: Tires often lose 1 psi each month because of the natural process of air seeping through the rubber. When this is combined with changes in temperature or a 20-degree decline during a snowy weekend, it's clear why drivers rush to add air at gas stations when it gets chilly.

Read more: When (and Why) Did Vehicles Transition From Lead-Containing to Lead-Free Gasoline?

Check the tire pressure every week in cold weather conditions

You may be aware that driving with tires that are either too inflated or not inflated enough is harmful and can lead tosome harmful tire wear patterns. The former can lead to visible balding patterns on the treads, especially in the center, whereas driving with tires that are not properly inflated will cause the edges or shoulders to wear down faster. Additionally, vehicles with underinflated tires are three times more prone to be involved in an accident, and the chance of the tire overheating increases with each decrease in air pressure.

In the meantime, tires that are not properly inflated in cold temperatures may struggle to keep consistent contact and control, which is something you definitely want to avoid on wet, icy, or snowy roads. It also turns out thatProper tire inflation can have a major impact on your vehicle's fuel efficiency.by raising the rolling resistance, which can lead to a decrease in fuel efficiency by as much as 2% to 3% for every 25% reduction in tire pressure.

Additionally, since gas and diesel engines typically use more fuel in cold weather, we strongly advise inspecting the tire pressure on all tires (including the spare) at minimum once a week if you have frequent driving. Don't hold off until the tire pressure warning light comes on the dashboard or until the tire appears visibly deflated.

Once you add air, it's common for the tire pressure warning light to remain on, as the sensors require driving about a mile to detect the pressure change. Obtain a reliable tire pressure gauge to be certain, and try to avoid thoseextremely inexpensive gauges that may be very unreliable.

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