Spring is here but don’t be fooled, those cold temperatures might be lowering your tire pressure behind your back
Despite winter quickly receding, those of you living in Northern climates can still expect some nippy days ahead. While this mostly affects whether or not you can finally banish your winter coat to the recesses of the closet, cold temperatures also have a direct impact on your tires! Moreover, as the temperature drops, so does your tire pressure.
The reason why is quite simple: for those of you that are more scientifically-inclined, the ideal gas law (PV=nRT) tells us very simply that Pressure (P) is inverse to Temperature (T). In a qualitative sense, cold air by its very nature has less energy than warm air which means less energy is being imparted by the air molecules in your tires onto the walls of the tire, meaning pressure is decreasing. This is why tire pressure decreases in the winter, and even fluctuates on a day-to-day basis, which can be quite confusing especially if you recently got air pumped into your tires.
This is important to recognize because having a tire pressure under the optimal level for your car means lower automobile performance, greater sustained damage from potholes, and the possibility of your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TMPS) light popping up on your dashboard.
Luckily, the solution is simple, just make sure to pump more air into your tires and to monitor your tire pressure regularly.
Earthgarage – Greener Car. Fatter Wallet.