Different studies assure that around half of Spanish drivers circulates with incorrect pressure on the tyres of their vehicles, which affects their lifespan, consumption and, much more importantly, safety.
Each car manufacturer selects, tests and approves different tires for each model, following criteria of weight, performance, size. The weight and speed indices These are two very important criteria when selecting tires to determine the pressure that should be applied to them.
What tire pressure does your car need?
The indications on the pressure that should be applied to your tires are usually found on theThe inside of the gas tank access coverin it door frame of the driver, in the vehicle manual and sometimes (less often), in the engine compartment. If you cannot find this essential information in one of these places, you can search on the Internet or ask the manufacturer… but almost certainly in 99% of cases you will find it there.
They will appear Two indications for pressure of your tires:
- vehicle Heavily loaded or on the highway
- vehicle with normal load.
Depending on the vehicle, there are Different pressures on the front and rear wheels.
How to check tire pressure
Manufacturers generally recommend that tire pressure be be verified coldThis means that you should not have traveled more than 3 to 5 kilometers in the two hours before measuring the pressure.
Otherwise, if you stop at a service area in the middle of a trip and have to take the tire pressure still hot, you would have to add 0.3 bars at the indicated pressure (1 bar = approximately 1 kg/cm2). However, it never hurts to check the pressure again when the tyres are cold. Above all, remember that, when hot, you should never reduce the pressure below the recommended pressure.
What happens if you drive with incorrect tire pressure?
There are two possible assumptions
- Tires underinflated, Even if it is only slightly, it is more likely to overheat and may burst at any time. In addition, the wear of the tread on the sidewalls will accelerate and gasoline consumption will increase.
- Overinflated tires: This doesn’t help either: the tread of an overinflated tyre will wear down much faster in the centre and will be more vulnerable if driven on a bad road surface.
So now you know, grab your pressure gauge (the device you use to measure the pressure, which you can find at any gas station) and adjust the tire pressure accordingly.
Final Recommendations
Before finishing, we give you some other tips related to your tires:
- Check your tire pressure once a month, more or less, especially if there is a sudden change in temperature.
- The valve caps They are essential to ensure a good seal. Don’t be stingy (they cost a few euro cents) and try to change them when you fit new tyres.
- Inflate the spare wheel to the maximum, within the authorized limit. Air leaks will always occur and this will prevent it from being too underinflated.
- If you take on your trip caravan or trailer, increase the pressure of the car’s rear tyres up to 0.4 bar (when cold) with respect to the “normal use” pressure. If the “rear other uses” pressure is already 0.4 bar higher, use that pressure, which is the correct one.
- For the caravan or trailer tires, If you do not have the pressure advice that the caravan or trailer manufacturer should provide, inflate to 3 bar when cold.
