Keeping track of and adjusting the tire pressure on the car is among the simplest, but at the same time most important, jobs that we can perform ourselves on our cars.
An incorrect tire pressure can lead to increased tire wear and higher fuel consumption. It can also have a negative impact on the tire’s performance, as well as the car’s handling and braking distance.
For this reason, it is important to regularly check the car’s tire pressure. Regular checks can also mean that a puncture is detected early.
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How to check tire pressure
To check the tire pressure, one must first find out which tire pressure is correct for the current combination of car and tire.
In most cases, this information can be found somewhere on the car, for example in one of the door openings or in the owner’s manual. Tire pressure is checked and adjusted most easily at a gas station, where there is usually a machine for the purpose.
You can read more about how to adjust and check tire pressure here.
Extra important to check in winter
Checking the tire pressure becomes especially important when the winter cold rolls in, as the lower temperatures mean that the air inside the tires shrinks. This in turn causes the tire pressure to drop.
According to We Car Owners is the rule of thumb that the tire pressure drops by around 0.1 bar per 10 degrees lower temperature.
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Check tire pressure correctly
In winter, it is also important to check the tire pressure under the right conditions.
More specifically, tire temperature must be taken into account when adjusting tire pressure, according to the tire manufacturer Michelin.
The company’s example is that you adjust the tire pressure inside a garage where it is 18 degrees, and then move the car outside where the temperature is -2 degrees. When the tires cool down to the outside temperature, the tire pressure will also drop, in this case by around 0.2 bar because the temperature difference is 20 degrees.
In this scenario, Michelin recommends adjusting the tire pressure to 0.2 bar above the recommended pressure for the car.
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