Tire Pressure: Why it Matters

Tire pressure is an important and often overlooked vehicle maintenance item. Too often, we find that customers do not think about tire pressure until the low-pressure indicator light shows up on their dash. In fact, we recommend that you check the pressure in your tires every two to three weeks.

Tire pressure can be impacted by hot and cold weather conditions, as well as, driving. As you drive, the friction causes your tires to heat and air to expand. As the car cools down, the air contracts and tire pressure is lost. Why is this important?

Even 1lb of low tire pressure can cause your tires to wear unevenly, affect braking distance, ride comfort, vehicle handling and cause premature tire wear. Tires with uneven or excessive wear can even cause you to have an accident or blowout. Failure to keep your tires properly inflated also costs you money. The Department of Energy states that keeping tires inflated improves fuel economy by approximately 3.3 percent.

Checking tire pressure is relatively easy to do. We recommend keeping a medium to high-quality pressure gauge in your glove box and checking the tire pressure on your vehicle regularly. First, look for the label on the inside of your driver door for the recommended psi. Because pressure is affected by driving we strongly suggest filling your tires 2lbs above the recommended level. For example, if your label says 31 psi, you should fill to 33 psi.

To check your tires, simply remove the valve stem cap, put the gauge on the valve stem and you will immediately see what the tire pressure level is. Add or remove air to equalize the pressure in all four tires. Look for a service station with an air compressor. Do not rely on the compressor gauge. Use your tire gauge to check pressure levels again after you fill them to make sure you have the proper and same psi level in all four tires. It’s also a good idea to visually inspect your tires and look for signs of wear, sidewall damage and nails.

In this video, Kia Country Master Technician, Jon Krasfig demonstrates how to check your tire pressure.

Taking time to routinely care for your tires means better safety and comfort and less money. We check your tires and pressure on every service visit. It is a source of continual concern that as many as 70% of our customers are driving on unsafe tires. Visit our Tire Service Center to learn more about tire care or refer to several blog posts that contain important tire information.

If you have any questions about your tires, stop in, give us a call or complete the form below.