Proper Tire Pressure in Cold Weather

It’s known that when the temperature decreases by 10 degrees, tire pressure drops between 1 and 2 pounds per square inch (PSI). It happens not because the air escapes from the tire but because the air inside the tire starts condensing as the temperature decreases, and then it takes up less space. This is how the tire becomes under-inflated.



This problem is seen mostly in the winter mornings because the car is parked all night and the air condenses. When the tires are properly inflated, and the car is in motion, this problem isn’t seen because the motion causes the tires to heat up, increasing the tire’s pressure. Now it doesn’t mean that if your car tires are under-inflated, you should start driving to heat up the tires to increase the pressure in them because that takes time, and you may end up having a tire blowout before that.

Here’s a step-by-step process that you should follow to adjust tire pressure, weekly, in cold weather:

• Let The Tires Cool Down- If you’ve just driven your car, then make sure you let the tires cool down for at least 3 hours. Cool tires give you accurate tire pressure readings when you check them.

• Know Your Recommended Tire Pressure- Look for the recommended tire pressure on the door frame of the driver’s side. You can also heck the vehicle’s owner's manual.

• Check Your Tire Pressure using an accurate tire pressure guage.

• Inflate To Recommended PSI before you start driving. Make sure you don’t inflate it more or less than the recommended PSI.

The recommended tire pressure for a car’s tires is the same for all weathers. A car’s typical tire pressure requirement is 30-35 PSI, but it’s better to check the recommended tire pressure for your car’s tires and inflate them to recommended PSI.

It is important to maintain the recommended tire pressure, especially in cold weather for the following reasons:

Improves Mileage

Maintaining the tire pressure helps in improving the mileage of the vehicle and saves you money. It becomes more important to maintain the tire pressure in winter because the tires get under-inflated faster. So if you keep your tires maintained in winter, your car’s mileage may improve.

Prevents Blowouts

A tire blowout is not less than a nightmare because it makes the vehicle uncountable. A tire blowout happens mostly when the tire is under-inflated because the under-inflated tire causes increased friction, leading to overheating, resulting in a blowout. So, if you maintain your tires in winter, you’ll never have to face a blowout due to under-inflation.

Improves Control

Having good control over your car is essential to have a safe drive. As the tires get under-inflated more often in winter, it causes the tires to get wider, making the steering wheel stiff and hard to turn. So maintaining the tires pressure will avoid these issues and help you have good control over your car.