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Driving with under or over-inflated tires can turn into a headache down the road if you do not attend to them. Winter driving has many effects on your tire pressure, but read on to learn what you can do about it.

Cold Weather and Your Tire Pressure

At times it seems that your tire pressure warning light never turns off in the wintertime no matter how often you re-inflate them. This is to be expected though since a greater density of the outside air decreases your tire pressure. In fact, with each 10° drop in external temperature, you can expect 1 psi less in tire pressure. The TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) warning light on the dash will turn on when a tire falls 25% below the recommended level alerting you to a problem. While it is often tempting to keep driving and ignore this warning, driving with underinflated tires poses a danger of tire failure, especially if you are carrying close to the vehicle's weight capacity. The low pressure of your tires means more of the surface area is on the road, which translates into greater friction and tread wear. You will also find your gas mileage decreasing when the tire pressure is too low.

Tire Pressure Best Practices for Winter

Thankfully, there are best practices you can follow to keep your car in good shape throughout the cold weather. First, keep a tire pressure gauge in your car to be able to regularly check the tire pressure. Whether it is a dial or digital gauge, both each type will get the job done. Depending on the frequency and mileage of your driving, you will want to check it either once a month if you don’t drive much, but once a week if you are driving high miles weekly. Inside the driver side door (of vehicles made 2006 or later) is the tire and loading information label that tells you the recommended psi for front and rear tires that should be followed. For longer road trips, you’ll want to make sure to check that the tire pressure is at the right level and fill them to the recommended levels for safe handling on the roads. In the instance of towing, or carrying heavy loads, it can be a good idea to slightly overinflate your tires as a way to compensate for the added weight but always defer to the vehicle manufacturer levels.

Maintaining the proper tire pressure on your vehicle is for your safety and that of other drivers. In the new year, make these practices an active part of caring for your vehicle.