 Tire Pressure: How Important Is Air Pressure?
Posted by carsandtrucks on Monday, November 19 @ 06:56:08 EST
Maintaining the proper tire pressure is the simplest preventative maintenance a driver can perform. Yet, the National Highway Safety Administration estimates that a third of the vehicles on the road today have tires that are significantly under inflated. And, the Society of Automotive Engineers states that 87% of flat tires have evidence of being run under inflated. It should also be pointed out that an under inflated tire is costing you money at the gas pumps. An underinflated tire creates rolling resistance which robs your vehicle of its best miles per gallon. It is recommended that you check your tire pressure once a month. The correct tire pressure for your vehicle is recorded on the VIN plate located on the driver side door. All you need is
a tire pressure gauge which is available at any parts store, and you can check your tire pressure. Simply remove the plastic caps from the valve stems connect the pressure gauge and read the results. If your tires are in need of air, most service stations and convenience stores have a coin operated air compressor (it irritates me to have to pay for air). I don't know of any repair shop or dealership service department that would charge you to correct your tire pressure. Of course, you can always purchase a small compressor from the automotive department of your favorite department store and do it yourself.
The important thing is not to neglect this simple maintenance. Under inflated tires are unsafe, wear prematurely, and burn fuel needlessly. Recently, Nitrogen has been introduced as a replacement for compressed air. The selling point is that it requires less maintenance the normal air and is less subjected to fluctuation due to temperature change. I am not sold on this service yet. I have seen it priced for upwards of $40.00. I question how long it would take to see a return on investment. And as I stated earlier, I am not a fan of paying .50 for air at the gas station, and I can’t see ever paying $40.00 for nitrogen filled tires.
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