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According to a survey done by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (bet you didn't know they existed!), "only 15% of motorists properly checked their tire pressure." If you are part of the other 85%, the best time to change is right now. There are three main reasons why checking your car's tire pressure is a good idea.
Better Gas Mileage
To understand why, imagine that you are riding a bicycle with flat tires. You would have to pedal much harder, right? It's the same thing in your car. The engine is working harder to move the car, burning more gas to accelerate, and slowing down faster when coasting.
Better Safety
Car tires are designed to have maximum grip and the shortest braking distances when they are inflated to their recommended air pressure. Slightly under-inflated tires don't immediately become a mortal danger in everyday driving conditions, but if you have to do a quick avoidance maneuver, under-inflated tires could mean the difference between cold sweat and a racing heart or a trip to the hospital.
Longer Tire Life
Under-inflated tires can also wear out your tires faster and/or unevenly, reducing their lives, thus sending more tires to the landfill and costing you more money.
Bottom Line
In short, there's no good reason not to check your tire pressure, and the best way to do that is to learn how to use a tire pressure gauge. It's extremely easy, as you will see below. The hardest part is to remember to do it frequently. That's why I've been trying to convince you of how important it is. I suggest that you put a monthly reminder on your computer's calendar, or mark your paper calendar, so that you never forget. You should check pressure when your tires are cold, for example after a night or sitting in the driveway, not after a long drive.
How to Use a Tire Pressure Gauge
Here it comes. Don't laugh!
- Get a tire pressure gauge. Available everywhere you can find car accessories, from very cheap to moderately expensive, depending on how fancy it is. But even the cheap ones should do a good job.
- Kneel next to your tires, make sure you are stable and don't hurt your back.
- Unscrew the caps from the stems on the tires, apply the gauge. Make sure it makes a tight seal. You have to press with the gauge to get the tire to release air (there's a pin in the middle of the stem).
- Read the pressure from the gauge, compare that number with the number that is recommended by your car's manufacturer (on the label on the driver side door).
- If your tires are under-inflated, get them back to the recommended air pressure. Most gas stations have air pumps, so that's probably the easiest way to do it. You can also buy an air pump and do it all yourself.
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How Tire Pressure Gauges Work
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