You may not know that poor tire pressure is one of the causes of significant reductions in fuel efficiency problems. It is the cause of a variety of issues related to rims and tires.
So, what causes tire pressure to drop? How to fix low tire pressure? The following article will provide you with complete information related to the problem of low car tire performance.
What is car tire pressure?
Tire pressure measures the air pressure in your car’s tires. The change in pressure will significantly affect safety, performance, and fuel economy.
It is the leading cause of reduced life in car tires. Therefore, regular tire inspection is an important thing you will need to do periodically.
During driving, there are many causes of low tire pressure. To understand these reasons, you can refer to the following section of the article.
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Low Tire Pressure Causes and Solutions
Tire Pressure Problem 1: Nail in Your Tire
Stabilization in tires is a phenomenon you may encounter while driving a car. When your tire has a nail stuck inside, it causes the tire pressure to decrease gradually.
At this point, your indicator light will light up. You will not need to take long to realize this problem because the sensor system works quite effectively. And with this problem, you can fix it quickly.
Tire Pressure Problem 2: Bent Wheels or Rims
Another situation you will encounter is a condition where the wheel or rim is bent. At this time, the wheel structure part has been changed.
This will cause the air inside the tire to escape to the outside. At that time, the tire pressure will gradually decrease. This problem is a severe danger to your safety, and you should not continue driving until the rim has been repaired.
Tire Pressure Problem 3: Due to a Tire Refill
over time, it is normal for your tires to lose pressure. It’s not a serious incident. You can tell through the glowing warning light. You just need to inflate the tires, which will help you turn off the warning lights and keep moving.
Tire Pressure Problem 4: Temperatures Changes
Temperature changes are the next cause of low tire pressure. Although it is not considered an incident, it is something that you should keep an eye on. At the same time, the temperature is critical during cold months.
Low temperatures will cause the air inside the tire to decrease in density. At that time, the phenomenon of farting will appear. In contrast, higher temperatures do not affect your tire pressure too much.
Tire Pressure Problem 5: Old, Worn Tires Old,
worn tires are the 5th cause of your car’s low tire pressure. When the tire exceeds the service life, it cannot keep the air inside it.
This will cause the air to escape, and the tread will wear out. At that time, you will have difficulty increasing the air pressure. Tire change is considered the most necessary at this time.
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Driving With Low Tire Pressure Repercussions
Using a vehicle in low tire pressure conditions causes a significant reduction in the overall performance of the car. Specifically, when your tires are soft, the sensitivity will decrease, making your car control more complex and sluggish.
Moreover, even if you try to accelerate, it will consume more fuel, but the speed is not as you want. Your car will almost lose fuel economy. At that time, the MPG coin on the vehicle will display much lower numbers.
On average, a car’s fuel level will increase by about 0.2% for every PSI pressure drop. The pressure will decrease from 32 to 20 PSI at that time, and the car’s fuel economy is about 1.5% worse.
In addition, driving with low pressure will make tire wear problems much more severe. At this time, your car tires can rust quickly, and the air will not be able to be stored in the tires. It will affect the tire rim and related parts.
How To Fill Your Tires With Air?
Before the problem of low car tire pressure, you need to check and fill the car’s tires with air. Here are 5 steps to help you improve tire pressure quickly.
Step 1. Remove The Valve Stem Cap
The plastic cap valve part will be located on the valve body. You will need to remove the cap for steel rims with wheel covers. It is a safe and clean place, and you must screw it in the following position. Because otherwise, dirt and debris can get into the valve stem. The agent prevents air from getting inside during inflation or tire pressure measurement.
Step 2. Use A Tire Pressure Gauge
In this step, you need to place the tire gauge on the valve body. Then you need to step it up and check the readings on the analog meter. With digital watches, you can press a button to activate them.
Step 3. Check The Tire Pressure For Your Car
In this step, you need to check your car’s tire pressure. You should compare it with the previously recommended pressure. You absolutely should not inflate the tire too much. Because it may be higher than recommended. At that time, a tire explosion may occur. It will jeopardize the tire pressure check process.
Step 4. Inflate The Tires Using An Air Pump
After you have compared the actual tire pressure with the recommended one, you can start adjusting the tire pressure. To do this, you need to put the end of the hose into the valve body. Make sure it is clamped in place. In case you hear a hissing sound, you will not be able to continue to inflate the tires.
In addition, with some air pumps, you need to keep the pump head pressed firmly against the valve body during pumping. Once you’ve inflated your car, you’ll need to check the tire pressure for 15 to 30 seconds.
Because when the tire is too inflated, it will not work well. To check, you need to use pointed objects and press the valve. The tire will then deflate until the pressure is equal to the recommended pressure, which you can pull out.
Step 5. Inflate The Tires At The Nearest Gas Station
If you do not have a pump available, you can ask for help at the gas station. Gas pumps at gas stations will automatically pump until the recommended pressure is reached.
How To Fix Low Tire Pressure Light?
With most current cars, it will be integrated with a TPMS warning light system. It will light up when your car tires have low pressure.
This light will turn off when your tire pressure reaches the threshold of the previous recommendation. However, once your tire pressure has become stable and the TPMS light does not go off, you will need to fix them.
Drive For A While
In this case, you can continue driving for 4 to 5 miles. Speeds range from 40 to 50 mph. This distance is enough for it to sense and turn off. At the same time, you need to recheck your tire pressure.
Reset The TPMS Light
If you are sure your tire has no problem, you can reset the TPMS light. With most cars today, there is an additional start button at the bottom of the steering column.
You can refer to your car’s manual if you can’t find the start button. Then, turn the car key to the “on” position. Press and hold until the TPMS light flashes 3 times, and then it will stop glowing.
Tire pressure sensor for indication
If your tire pressure changes, the parameters displayed on the car screen do not change. Or the warning signal appears, but your tires are still standard. These phenomena indicate that the tire sensor system has lost its password. The cause may be the sensor valve operating for a long time or suddenly breaking.
Tire pressure sensor for battery
A sign that helps you to recognize that the tire pressure sensor does not accept or runs out of battery is the display screen suddenly disappearing parameters even while in operation.
As for the case of running out of battery, you will inevitably encounter. Depending on the sensor type, the battery life can last 2 to 3 years. In this case, you just need to continue to replace the battery to be able to continue using it.
Sensor alarm in normal state
In this case, you will often encounter sudden weather conditions. Moving from a warm area to a cold room will cause the air density in the tires to decrease. It is the cause of your car’s tire sensor beeping even when the vehicle is still working fine.
How to fix tire pressure sensor errors?
You can fix tire pressure sensor problems using one of the following methods.
Resetcar tire pressure sensor
Suppose your tire pressure is not detected as high or low as recommended. You need to recheck the sensor system. When problems in this system occur, you need to reset them.
Currently, cars can use different sensors, then the design and position of the button also change. Usually, it will be next to your car’s steering wheel. To reset, you need to follow these steps:
- Step 1: Turn on the electrical system
- Step 2: After about 2 seconds, press the reset button
- Step 3: When the tire pressure sensor indicator light flashes, you need to drive for 25-30 minutes for the sensor system to measure the pressure again.
Adjusting the temperature and pressure
You need to lower the tire temperature to about 21 degrees Celsius – 29 psi in high-temperature areas. You can use the car well at this temperature. Because when the temperature is high causes the pressure to rise to about 35 psi, which is the standard tire pressure.
Also, if the outdoor temperature drops by about 10 degrees Celsius, you need to pump up about 2 PSO. You only hold the pump to the correct pressure to ensure the performance and safety of the tires.
Replace the tire pressure sensor
When you have checked and adjusted the parameters of the tire sensor, it is not very effective. At this point, you need to replace them with new ones.
The OBD2 scanner system can check sensor performance through the vehicle dashboard. Also, it depends on the model of the car.
How to replace car tire pressure sensor?
Replacing the tire pressure sensor will require removing the tire from the rim. Therefore, you will hardly be able to remove the tire yourself.
So, take your car to a car repair garage. They will help you remove the tire and replace the new tire sensor. This process will include programming the device to start working.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article will help you answer the question: “How to fix low tire pressure”. As a car user, you should not drive in case of low tire pressure.
Because it not only endangers you, but also negatively affects the rim and related parts. At the same time, ensuring stable tire pressure is a premise to help you save fuel more efficiently.
A guy who graduated with honors with 2 college degrees Ferris State University & Austin Peay State University.After finishing school, he specialized in researching and testing tires, rims as well as brakes.Especially he has a love for off-road vehicles…
