What causes car tyres to lose pressure?
Maintaining the pressure of your car tyres is a critical part of vehicle safety.
Although it only happens gradually, tyre pressure loses pressure consistently over time. As a result, it’s key that you regularly check your tyre pressure, and ensure that it is kept at the recommended level.
By maintaining the correct level of tyre pressure, not only do you ensure your vehicle remains safe to drive, but you also extend the lifespan of your car tyres – win-win.
To gain a better understanding of tyre pressure and what causes its decline, keep reading.
What are the dangers of low tyre pressure?
The dangers of allowing tyre pressure to drop too far include:
– Uneven tyre wear, with the tyres degrading and the edges wearing away at a faster rate
– Damage will occur to the tyres more quickly
– Reduced lifespan for your tyres
– A greater risk of overheating
– A greater risk of punctures
– The tyres become heavier, resulting in increased rolling resistance
– Compromised braking
– Higher fuel consumption (resulting in increased costs)
– A greater risk of a tyre blowout
– A greater risk of hydroplaning (in wet conditions)
– Extra pressure and demands being placed on the engine
– Reduced vehicle stability, handling and control (particularly when attempting to make sharp turns)
As you can see, continuing to drive while your tyres are at a low pressure poses a number of dangers. The safety of the vehicle is significantly compromised, with the vehicle’s performance reduced, and the risk of major safety issues (including tyre blowouts and punctures) dramatically increased.
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To minimise these risks, it’s vital that you check your tyre pressure regularly, and ensure that all your vehicle’s tyres are adhering to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure levels.
Why does tyre pressure reduce over time?
A reduction in tyre pressure can be caused by a number of different factors.
While reducing tyre pressure is an inevitable, unavoidable part of driving, different factors can accelerate or decelerate the pace at which it occurs.
You may be witnessing a loss of tyre pressure for any of the following reasons:
Due to the process of osmosis – osmosis is the process of air (within the tyre) slowly leaving the tyre into the surroundings, through the tyre’s rubber walls. This is a natural process, which is slow and gradual, but unavoidable (and so, important to keep tabs on!). However, it can be accelerated by any of the below factors.
If the temperature changes – this is because tyres can contract when the temperature drops, and expand when it gets warmer. As a result, this can cause fluctuations in the tyre pressure. For example, if the temperature decreases by 5.5°C, then tyre pressure can drop by as much as 2% (and vice versa).
If the wheel rim is damaged – this causes the tyre’s shape to be distorted, causing an imbalance in pressure when driving, and resulting in accelerated pressure loss.
If the tyre bead is damaged – tyre beads can degrade as the tyre ages. When this occurs, the air pressure of the tyre can drop.
If the tyre valve is faulty – if the valve is faulty, then air will escape from the tyre at an accelerated rate (even after you pump up the tyre).
If the tyre has been punctured – if the tyre has a puncture (including slow punctures) then the air pressure will drop at a rapid rate. So, you should regularly check your tyre for punctures, to ensure that this isn’t posing a safety risk.
If your tyres are low quality – if your tyre is old, low quality, or has been bought second-hand, then there is a greater risk of all these situations arising. Old or damaged tyres have a higher likelihood of tyre deflation, as a result of their usage and wear.
How can you keep your tyres at a safe pressure?
Firstly, we recommend checking the pressure of your tyres once a month.
You should check your tyre pressure on a regular, routine basis, even if you’re not driving the vehicle, or if it’s only covering short distances.
If however, you’re driving your car very frequently, then we recommend checking your tyre pressure on a more regular basis. Furthermore, if you’re planning a long journey, then you should check your tyre pressure before you set off.
If you are unsure how to check your tyre pressure, then read our dedicated guides on How to Check Your Tyre Pressure, and What PSI Should my Tyres Be?.
And, if you have any further questions about maintaining safe tyre pressure, or if you need to replace the tyres on your vehicle, Watling Tyres’ team of specialists are on hand to help.