Good traction during the winter and in bad weather is dependent on your tires' pressure. Watch the video.
Correct Tire Pressure | Winter Driving Smart
Closed Captions
Introduction
Hi there smart drivers, Rick with Smart have one of these in their vehicle - it's a tire pressure gauge. Pick one of these up for less than $25. Not only will it maximize the handling of your vehicle for optimum performance, but as well, it will increase your fuel mileage, and it will increase the life of your tires. So today we're going to talk to you about tire pressure. We'll be right back with that information - stick around.
Correct Tire Pressure
Hi there smart drivers, welcome back. Rick with Smart Drive Test, talking to you today about tire pressure. It is important to have the correct tire pressure because it affects handling of your vehicle, particularly in the winter time when there are drastic temperature changes. It will affect the tire pressure inside your tires. If you're tire pressure is too low, it's going to increase fuel consumption and as well it's going to reduce the life of your tires and cost you money. The other thing that low tire pressure or too high tire pressure is going to do - it's going to affect the handling of the vehicle. In the wintertime, this can be dangerous because it could potentially put you in the ditch - worse yet, you could have a crash.
Tire Pressure Gauge
So correct tire pressure - you should check the tire pressure at least once a month or anytime there is a drastic temperature changes. And every vehicle should have a tire pressure gauge in it. You can pick up a tire pressure gauge at your local auto parts shop or maybe some of the hardware stores will carry these. And a tire pressure gauge sells for about $25 - actually for $25 you can get a pretty good tire gauge.
Check Tires Cold
So have a tire gauge, check the tire pressure and always check the tire pressure when the tires are cold. In other words, don't drive the vehicle and then check the tire pressure because you'll get an incorrect reading. So always check the tires when the tires are cold and you haven't driven the vehicle.
Tire Pressure for Your Vehicle
So where do you find the correct tire pressure for your vehicle? The first place and the most easily found place is on the door sill of the driver's side. You can find the tire pressure there on the little sticker that's down beside the driver's seat. The next place you can find the tire pressure and how to inflate the tires for your vehicle or the tire size is the owner's manual. And the owner's manual comes in book form, comes in electronic form, or if you have a newer vehicle it'll be telematics, and you can find it on the menu on the screen on the dash. The owner's manual-- I know--is less read than my PhD dissertation! But there's a lot of really great information in an owner's manual about your vehicle. So have a look in the owner's manual for the correct tire pressure. Now on this vehicle here, it's 26 pounds per square inch.
Unit of Measure for Pressure
In North America we measure in pounds per square inch. The metric unit for pressure is kilopascals. We don't use kilopascals because it gives you really odd number, so we still tend to use pounds per square inch.
Tire Pressure Variations
So on this vehicle it is 26 pounds is the recommended tire pressure. However every time I've gotten this vehicle back from the tire shop, they've put in 32 pounds in it. And when I was a kid working in the garage with my Dad, we always put 32 pounds in the tires. And I tend to like 32 pounds - I find it handles a little bit better, so I run 32 pounds and as well I get a bit better fuel economy. So talk to your local tire shop, talk to a mechanic about that if you want to run a little bit more air pressure in your tires. As well the other point about tire pressure is: it's according to the vehicle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer. So you won't find it on the side of the tire and that maybe a question on your license test. One other point about tire pressure, if you're running a lot of weight on your vehicle or you're pulling a trailer or something like that, you might also want to compensate your tire pressure. Again consult a technician about that information.
Green Valve Stem Caps
The other thing about tire pressure on vehicle - if you have green valve stem caps on your tires it means the tire shop has put nitrogen in your tires. Nitrogen has a couple of benefits. First it has less water content than regular air and because it has less water content the air pressure inside your tires is going to fluctuate less with temperature change. So that's your first benefit. The next benefit about nitrogen is the process of osmosis, where gas moves through a membrane, i.e. the tire in this case. There is going to be less movement of gas through the membrane. So therefore, over a long period of time you're going to maintain a more constant tire pressure with nitrogen inside your tires. Now you can put regular air in your tires if you have nitrogen and it's not going to negate any of the benefits. So you can put regular air.
Where to Get Air
And where you get regular air, if you find out your tire pressures low, go to a gas station-- they'll charge you a dollar--or you can take it to a tire shop and they will check your tire pressure as well.
Review
So quick review - tire pressure: check it at least once a month or anytime you have drastic temperature changes. Pick up a tire pressure gauge - you can check the tire pressure quickly - less than a couple of minutes for the whole vehicle. And make sure that you have constant tire pressure. This good inflation will increase your fuel economy, it will extend the life of your tires, and give you good handling, especially in the wintertime it is particularly important for handling, so you stay safe.
Question
Leave a comment down in the comment section there. All that helps out the new drivers and drivers wanting to know a little bit more about their vehicles.
I'm Rick with Smart Drive Test. Thanks very much for watching. If you like what you see here share, subscribe, leave a comment down in the comment section. As well, hit that thumbs up button. Check out the videos below. As well check out the cards in the upper right-hand corner - links to all of the great information here on the channel. Thanks again for watching. Good luck on your road test and remember, pick the best answer not necessarily the right answer. Have a great day. Bye now
