Critical Tire Maintenance keeps Your Car Rolling Smoothly with no delays. It saves you thousands of dollars in gasoline costs over the life of your tires. Did you know that if Americans simply maintained the proper tire pressure in their tires, they would save over 4 billion dollars a year. This is significant not to mention the repairs needed on tires that fail prematurely and require replacement. It is also much safer for the driver and passengers to also have properly inflated tires.
Maintaining your tires is so important and we do not even think about it until it is too late. Accidents are also caused due to under inflated tires which can cost more money and possibly cause death to your family. You could potentially be avoiding some or all of the following:
- Uneven wear,
- Poor performance
- Lack of control of your car
- Failure to respond in an emergency situation and
- Possibly even a blowout.
Traffic Accident Stats
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tire failures or blowouts are believed to contribute to over 400 deaths and 10,000 injuries in the United States every year.
We can quote all of the statistics we want, but most people feel that it will never happen to them or it is always the other guy. Why take the chance, why not protect your family?
Under-inflation is one of the leading causes of tire failure. This means putting too much air or not enough into the tires and both cases can cause stress and excessive heat to build up, which can lead to overheated tires which may even result in a blowout or a car crash. Combine high speed with an under inflated tire and if you do not crash from a blown tire you probably will crash due to poor control of your car since the tires just cannot respond well enough.
Temperature Change – Tire Pressure
Changes in outdoor temperature can actually affect a car as well as the pressure in the tires.In cold weather air condenses and your tires lose pressure. In hot temperatures, air expands increasing the inflation of your tires. Both are lethal combinations and should be monitored closely. Snow birds who drive from the cold north during winter are particularly pron to this problem as they hit warmer climates.
The rate at which tires lose air is higher during the warm spring and summer months. A tire will lose approximately one or two pounds of pressure per month on a normal basis. During the warmer months, pressure loss is even greater.
Check your tire’s pressure every time you fill up your car’s fuel tank, especially if you go for several weeks between fill ups and at the least checked once every month as well as prior to leaving for a long road trip.
Gradually apply the break until you have regained control over the vehicle if you have a blow out while driving. Once you have brought the car under control, slowly guide your car to a safe area as far away from the road as possible. Never apply the brakes until you have control of the car.
Perform regular inspection of your tires:
- Regular inspections of all four tires
- Uneven tire wear
- Missing balance weights
- Checking the air pressure often.
With the proper maintenance, a potential problem can be diagnosed before it occurs and will help to ensure you and your family will arrive at your destination safely.
More posts about tire maintenance, click here.
February 17th, 2013 on 12:34 am
I try to look at my tires every time i get in the car. checking for the air pressure with just a glance can make a huge difference.