With colder weather still hanging on but Spring weather looming in the horizon many motorists will get a low tire pressure warning light on the dash or simply observe that the tires look a bit less full than they should. The main reason for this is the dropping temperatures, which cause the air to become denser and consequently lower the tire pressure.
There are some steps you can take to make sure you don’t get stuck with a low tire pressure when the cold weather hits
- Check tire pressure first thing in the morning when tires are cold.
- Inflate tires to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI (listed on the driver’s door jamb).
- Don’t rely solely on tire pressure monitoring systems; they may not alert you until pressure is already too low.
Many tire shops will inflate your tires for free, including Discount Tire, Firestone Auto among others. You can find free compressed air to fill your tires at a few places like Lowe’s and QuikTrip. Costco and Sam’s Club offer tire filling stations for members.