Maintaining proper tire pressures on your vehicle is important for many reasons:
First is your safety: tires with low pressure run hotter and are subject to blow outs. Under the right conditions a blow out can be fatal.
Second is saving money on fuel: underinflated tires increase rolling resistance and this requires more fuel to move your vehicle.
Third is saving money on tires: Running your tires low on air will damage the tire(s). We replace many tires that have been damaged from being run low on air. Often these tires have tens of thousands of kilometers of life remaining.
Tires vary in price but are becoming increasingly more expensive as most cars are equipped with larger, low profile tires.
The good news is that underinflation damage is completely preventable:
Most newer cars have tire pressure monitoring systems which will warn you when you have a low tire. If this light comes on it is critical that you check your tire pressures and have repairs done as needed.
For cars without tire pressure monitoring be sure to visually inspect your tires on a routine basis and check the pressures with a tire pressure gauge. Please note that many tires will bulge where the rubber meets the road and this is normal, and it’s why you should always use a gauge.
So be sure to keep an eye on your tires by whatever means you can. Doing so will save you money and possibly your life.
