Have you checked the air in your tires?

[Jeremy airjer W]

I think we have finally made it to that time of year when the temperatures will finally stay below fifty degrees. I have been inflating a lot of tires recently and have seen way to many low/flat tires on vehicles traveling down the freeway.

If you haven't already done so know is the time to start checking tire pressure. You may be surprised to find them 8-12 pounds low if the last time you checked was in the summer when the temps where in the 80-90 degree range. Once the temp drops and stays below freezing it wouldn't hurt to check them again!

As long as you have the tire gauge out you might as well check the spare tire as well. This is by far the most overlooked item on a vehicle in my opinion. It is very rare to go out on a service call to change a flat and find a properly inflated spare tire.

If your not sure what your tires should be inflated to most vehicles will have a sticker on or near a door (typically it will be the drivers side). This sticker will have the recommended tire inflation as well as the size of tire that your vehicle came with. The owners manuel may have the correct tire pressure as well. If neither are available than a good rule of thumb is 32psi. I would say a good majority of the cars we service are set to 32psi unless the customer says otherwise.

If your vehicle has a Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) , these are the little sensors that are in the wheel itself, than definitely set the tire pressure to the manufactures spec. A TPMS system will monitor the actual tire pressure of each wheel and will alert the driver if a tire falls below a certain threshold (typically 4-6 psi or around 20%). Some systems will also alert you if the tire is over inflated.

If you vehicle has a low tire pressure monitoring system you may be surprised to find out that all 4 tires are low and the light never came on. This system uses the ABS sensors to tell if a tire is turning faster or slower than the rest. Based on the difference in data it can determine if a tire is low. If all four tire are equally low than the speed data will be equal between the four tires and the light will not illuminate.

[fishorgolf]

Great advice!!! I was at the Super value this am and i saw a car with VERY low tires. (and accident waiting to happen) I hung around for a few minutes hoping they would come out so I could say something but they never did and I left. I still feel bad I didn't go in the store and find the person or keep waiting.

Check your tires!!!!

[Surface Tension]

Thanks for the reminder.

It took me a lot of time to remove the summer air and fill with winter air.

[Jeremy airjer W]

It usually takes longer to switch from winter to summer air!!

[Northlander]

I just run the Fall Air in mine all year round. No problems yet.