Have you Checked your Car’s Tire Pressure Lately – What the … huh?

Have you check the tire pressure in your car or truck’s tires lately?  If you answered “no”, then you man want to consider doing so.  It can be extremely unsafe to drive around in over-inflated or underinflated tires.

Sometimes, good things have to come to an end. Not so long from now winter will fall on us and we will be left cold, leaving nothing but memories of nice walks and swims. Seasons change, some people like the change and others don’t.   Regardless of what season you like, you should always keep in mind one thing – check your tires.

With a change in temperature comes a change in tire pressure. Air will compress as the temperature gets colder and will expand once it gets warmer. With a tire low on pressure, the sidewall of the tire begins to flex, causing handling problems, wear and reduced fuel economy.  Too much air will cause the tire to wear and possibly even pop, so it’s very important to know when to check your tires and how full the tires should be.

How to tell if your car doesn’t have enough PSI:

If your car is pulling to one side, making a “squeaking” noise or getting noticeably worse fuel economy, your tire might not be filled to the right amount of air.

To check and fill your tires:

• Get out your owners manual and read the limits on your tires. If you cannot find it in the manual, you can check on the side of the tire where  it will usually tell you what the PSI (pounds per square inch)limit is for that tire.
• Be sure to check the current PSI of your tire with a properly working tire gauge ($2 at Walmart). If the readout is below what your tire should be, fill it up, but not exceeding the maximum tire pressure for that tire. If the readout is above the maximum PSI limit, you can typically release the air with the opposite end of the tire pressure gauge or gas station pump hose tip.

Just remember, check those tires. Especially when there is a change of season and you go from “nice” to “cold” to and to “hot” again. Be sure to keep ahead on tire maintenance and you will be sure to have a smoother ride, better gas mileage and a safer trip.