Can You Drive with 1.4 Bar Tire Pressure?
2 Answers
Tire pressure of 1.4 bar is not safe to continue driving. Vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems, which typically trigger an alarm when the tire pressure drops below 1.5 bar. Hazards of Low Tire Pressure: Increased friction coefficient with the road surface, leading to higher fuel consumption; Heavier steering wheel and increased tendency for the vehicle to drift, compromising driving safety; Excessive movement of tire components, causing abnormal heat due to over-compression; Reduced functionality of the tire's cords and rubber, leading to delamination or cord breakage, and excessive friction with the rim, resulting in bead damage and abnormal wear; Exponentially increased friction between the tire and the ground, causing a rapid rise in tire temperature, softening of the tire, and a sharp decrease in strength. High-speed driving under such conditions may lead to a blowout; Increased tire deformation, making the sidewalls prone to cracking, and generating flexing movements that cause excessive heat, accelerating rubber aging, cord fatigue, and breakage, while also increasing the tire's contact area and accelerating shoulder wear. Solutions for Insufficient Tire Pressure: If no visible damage is detected, simply inflate the tire to the normal pressure and reset the tire pressure system; If a puncture is found during inspection, promptly drive to a tire shop for repair and then reinflate the tire; If the tire pressure warning reappears after inflation without any visible puncture, it might be due to air leakage caused by a deformed rim. It is recommended to inspect and possibly replace the rim.
A tire pressure of 1.4 is absolutely unsafe to drive! It's nearly half the normal value, making the tires look visibly flat and scary. Excessive tire deformation causes sidewall temperatures to skyrocket, potentially leading to blowouts. Steering becomes unstable, and the rear end may skid when cornering. I once towed a car with 1.6 tire pressure—the rims got scratched after just 2 km. Immediately find an air pump to refill or call roadside assistance; don't try to save money here. In emergencies, crawl at under 20 km/h in a straight line (no turns), but even this won't last more than a few hundred meters.
