Checking your car’s tyre pressure is not something you have to do every day. But you should know that the tyres are paramount for your safety.
The air in your car’s tyre depletes slowly as you drive, so it’s best to check every two weeks to ensure its optimum pressure level.
What is the correct tyre pressure for any car? When it comes to the right tyre pressure, the maximum is not optimum. Read on to learn why:
The easy way to know if the pressure is right
Under-inflated tyres – Not good
Does your car occasionally feel heavier than normal? That’s because you are experiencing increased rolling resistance with the road. That also means reduced fuel efficiency and increased CO2 emissions.
If you notice that the inside and outside edges of the tread that is already ‘botak’, that’s because you have been driving with under-inflated tyres.
What you may think: Under-inflated tyres will make the car ride less bumpy. That’s not true because bumpiness of the ride is affected by the suspension and absorber, not the tyres.
Over-inflated tyres – Not good
More means better right? Not really, when it comes to tyre. Putting too much air in your tyres can be just as damaging and costly.
Over-inflated tyres will have a smaller contact patch which can lead to a loss of traction and poorer braking distances. Not only that, your tyres will wear heavily and unevenly across the central part of the tyre leading to shorter tyre lifespan.
What you may think: Some might think that over-inflated tyres provide better acceleration. But at what cost?
The optimum tyre pressure – GOOD
You don’t have to bring along a scientific calculator and do the math every time you want to inflate your tyres. Information on your car’s recommended tyre pressure can be found at the driver’s door jam.
If it’s not there, try looking on the trunk lid, in the console or on the fuel tank flap. When your tyres are inflated to the recommended PSI, you will have happy tyres which mean optimum life and performance.
What you must know before pumping the tyres
1. Know the recommended tyre air pressure
2. Your air source is at the nearest petrol station
Air pumps at petrol stations around Malaysia are easy to operate. You can use the air pump to check the tyre pressure and at the same time inflating the tyres. Though you will get a more accurate reading with a tyre gauge. Most of the pumps come with a chart to help you convert from psi to kPa or vice versa. No math required 😛
3. Get em’ tyres pumped
Why does it matter?
Having the right tyre pressure may help prolong the lifespan of your vehicle’s tyres, increases the vehicle’s safety and helps save fuel. A tyre’s lifespan may decrease up to 75% if it is operating at around 80% of the optimum pressure.
It’s good to get a tyre pressure gauge for the household and get every driver in your family to be responsible for their car tyres. Always check the tyre pressure when your tyres are cold.
Also, if you are using your vehicle to carry additional load or weight, always consult your vehicle handbook for the correct loaded tyre pressure.
The next time you pay a visit to the petrol station, give your car tyres a quick check and get the air pressure right. Trust me, you will feel the difference for the better. And if you have a flat tyre, remember there’s the CARPUT mobile app to get reliable help changing to a spare tyre!