Low tire pressure can be one of the most frustrating things for a car owner. It can be a small but inconvenient task to handle during your busy day. But more importantly, low tire pressure affects your vehicle’s performance and even safety. Especially as the weather gets colder, low tire pressure becomes more of a common issue.
Be on the lookout for any signs of low tire pressure this winter season and act quickly to fix it. If you don’t, it will cost you some money at the pump, repairs down the line, and possibly a blown-out tire. Performance Muffler offers signs of low tire pressure and what you should do when it drops.
Warning from Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Virtually every car on the road (if it was manufactured after the 1980s) has a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Like your common check engine light or oil pressure light, your tire pressure monitoring system alerts you when your vehicle’s tire pressure is too low. The recommended PSI (pounds per square inch) for a car tire is 32 to 35 PSI, but the warning light typically won’t trigger until it falls below 30 PSI. This, of course, is the most common way to identify low tire pressure, and, like all of your car’s warning lights, don’t ignore it when it appears.
Steering Problems
If your tire pressure gets too low it will start to affect your car’s performance, particularly its steering. During turns or maneuverability, you may notice your vehicle sways, lags, or generally feels off. This can be a clear sign of low tire pressure. As soon as you can safely, stop your car, get out, and walk around your car to see if any tires aren’t properly inflated.
Flapping Noise
A flapping or “whomping” noise when you drive can be a bad sign that your tire pressure is significantly low. This noise can indicate that your tire pressure is almost dangerously low. It’s affecting the performance and safety of your vehicle. Pull over as soon as you can and evaluate whether or not it’s safe to continue to drive, and try to get to an air compressor quickly.
Worse Stopping Distance
Another sign of low tire pressure is if it takes your vehicle a long time to come to a complete stop. Tires with low pressure don’t work as effectively, so your car’s stopping distance is longer. If you think this is happening with your car, evaluate each tire’s air level when you can safely do so.
Recommendations to Quickly Solve Low Tire Pressure
When dealing with low tire pressure, there are two things to keep in your car that will make a huge impact: a tire pressure gauge and a portable air compressor. The tire pressure gauge will allow you to check your tire’s pressure whenever you need, if your car doesn’t already have a dashboard to show this to you.
A portable air compressor will let you inflate tires whenever you need when you’re away from a gas station or repair shop. You can pull over, plug the compressor into your cigarette lighter, set the desired PSI level, and inflate your tires conveniently. This device also can save you money by eliminating trips to gas station air compressors. It’s a sound investment.
Don’t Drive with Low Tire Pressure
Driving with properly inflated tires will keep your car running for a long time. The winter especially can be tough on your car, so be smart and proactive to keep your car in great shape.
If you’re also looking to service your car to enhance its performance, Performance Muffler can help you with a number of custom exhaust services. We can fix your exhaust, muffler, catalytic converter, or even modify your car with exhaust tips, a dual exhaust, or more.
Contact Performance Muffler Today
If you want to optimize your vehicle, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Performance Muffler. Find out why we have been a top custom exhaust shop in the Phoenix area since 2007.