What happens if your tire pressure is too high

What the heck is that little annoying symbol on my dashboard? Should I under-inflate my tire during the winter? How often should I check my tire pressure? We got tons of questions like this from our community, so for today, let's dive deep into the world of tire pressure, put our geeky glasses on and figure out everything you need to know about your tires.

The recommended tire pressure varies based on the vehicle makes determined by the manufacturer after thousands of tests and calculations. So make sure you check your tire pressure after a long stay and usually, you can do it in the early morning. After knowing the proper tire pressure of your vehicle recommended by the manufacturer, you should check your tire pressure regularly to make sure that you are in good shape.

You can check your tire pressure in auto part stores, the mechanics, gas stations, and at home. To check tire pressure at home, you need:. As tire pressure changes with the temperature a lot, and recommended tire pressures are cold inflation pressure , you should start with cold tires if possible.

We mostly check the tire pressure after one night's rest to avoid the heat from the friction of the last drive, and before the temperature goes up. Unscrew the valve cap and press the tire gauge onto the valve stem hard enough until the hissing sound disappears.

There should be a reading as long as the gauge is well connected to the tire. Make sure you read in detail, as for some vehicles, front and rear tires have different recommended psi. If you find a tire underinflated, use the air compressor to fill your tires. You can either buy an air compressor in the auto parts store or use one in a gas station.

After filling the tires, use your tire pressure gauge to check the tire pressure again and make sure they are in a good range. Let the air out a bit if they are over-inflated by pressing the gauge harder on the valve stem.

Thus, we highly recommend that you check your tire pressure regularly, especially before a long drive or heavy load driving. Also, temperature affects the tire pressure a lot, and we will explain it in the next section.

For the non-nerdy readers, just remember this rule of thumb and keep in mind that you will need to monitor your tire pressure during different seasons or a sudden temperature change. For those who want a deeper dive into how psi's are determined, here's the science behind it. The equation we use to calculate the relationship between tire pressure and the temperature is called the Ideal Gas Law. It is a good approximation of the behavior of many gases under many conditions.

Appx1 It works well for most low-pressure gases. First, we take the Ideal Gas Law equation and apply it to our circumstance:.

Given the n and R are both constants, and the gas volume in the tire is also a constant, we can take those constants out of the equation, and suddenly we get this straightforward one:. The key to inflating your tyres properly is knowing the ideal tyre pressure for your vehicle in its current state. By state, we mean load. How much weight is your vehicle carrying? And by what percentage should you increase your PSI?

Like we said, overinflating your tyres is not a good idea if you want them to last. To check if your tyre pressure is too high, look at whether the wear down the middle of the tyre is worse than on the edges.

An overinflated tyre will wear down the middle whereas a properly inflated tyre will wear evenly across the tyre. More often than not, you will only need to inflate your tyres to the recommended PSI. There are a few occasions where inflating your tyres to the maximum PSI will be the best thing to do. Learn why you should inflate your tires in winter and how to measure tire pressure, with Firestone Complete Auto Care. Blog Categories Blog Home. Compromised Safety There are a variety of issues that can occur if you drive on overinflated tires.

Tire Damage and Wear Overinflating your tires can make them more vulnerable to damage. How do you fix overinflated tires? Locate the valve stem on your tire. If you look at the back of the air pressure tool there is a small nipple that is for releasing air pressure. Use this, or a similar tool, to press down on the pin firmly. This will release air from the tire. What is your recommended tire pressure?

Up Next. If shopping for tires feels like learning a foreign language, read this. Here's a free and easy lesson in tire anatomy, from Firestone Complete Auto Care. Snow tires can make a big difference for your safety in winter conditions. Find out how snow tires vary from regular tires, with Firestone Complete Auto Care. Find Store. Find a Different Location Find a Store.