A key part of tire maintenance that car owners tend to overlook is tire pressure. It is your responsibility to keep your tires’ air pressure at optimal levels. We recommend checking it as much as possible using a tire gauge. This tool is an affordable one that can help you in the long run.
Having the right amount of air in your tires improves the quality of your driving, braking, and turning. Not to mention, your car will run as efficiently as possible. You might wonder, “aside from having something penetrate my tires, shouldn’t the air in my tires stay the same?”. Not exactly. The reason why it is recommended that you check your tire pressure is that the temperature outside can cause the air in your tires to fluctuate.
It is simple physics. Air expands when it is heated and contracts when it is cooled. When fall and winter come around in Austin, the existing air in your tires takes up less space. Tire pressure can drop by 1 psi (pounds per square inch) for every 10 degrees the temperature goes down.
What Should You Do?
First and foremost, you should always grab the owner’s manual if you’re not entirely sure what you’re doing. The handbook, in addition to the sticker on the driver's door jam, will show precisely what psi your front and rear tires should be at to achieve optimal and safe driving. You will also need the tool we mentioned earlier: a tire gauge. These are now easier to read than ever. If your tires are underinflated, you will need an air compressor to fill your tires. But, we typically recommend taking your car to the nearest gas station with an air pump.
During oil changes or tune-ups, the team at Austin’s Automotive Specialists is happy to take a look at your tires and adjust their air pressure if needed. We understand the devastating effects of driving on underinflated tires, and we don’t want that to happen to you this season. Let’s not waste any more money on tires than we need to by taking care of them. Other forms of tire maintenance include checking tire treads, rotating tires, and performing wheel alignments.
For the best tire services in the Austin area, look no further than Austin’s Automotive Specialists. We look forward to your call or visit!