What Should the Tire Pressure Be in Summer?
2 Answers
In summer, the recommended tire pressure for cars is 2.3bar. Due to the high temperatures in summer, the tire pressure should be 0.1 to 0.2bar lower than the standard tire pressure recommended by the car manufacturer. If the tire pressure is too high, the elasticity of the tire will decrease, and the adhesion to the ground will be reduced, which can affect braking performance and increase the risk of a blowout when encountering impacts. The hazards of low tire pressure include: 1. Increased road friction coefficient, leading to higher fuel consumption; 2. Heavy steering wheel, making the car prone to veering off course, which is detrimental to driving safety; 3. Increased movement of various parts of the tire, with excessive rolling causing abnormal tire heating; 4. Reduced performance of the cord and rubber, leading to cord breakage and delamination or excessive friction between the rim and the tire, causing bead damage and abnormal wear; 5. Increased friction between the tire and the ground, causing the tire temperature to rise sharply, softening the tire and reducing its strength, which can lead to tire bursts; 6. Low tire pressure increases the deformation of the tire body, causing sidewall cracks, flexing movements, overheating, rubber aging, accelerated shoulder wear, and shortening the tire's lifespan.
The biggest fear when driving in summer is unstable tire pressure. I usually set it 0.1-0.2 kg lower than the standard value. A few days ago, I just drove on the highway. In the morning, I inflated the cold tires to 2.3 kg as marked on the door, but after two hours of driving, the tire pressure rose to 2.7 kg, and the wheel hubs felt hot to the touch. The impact is smaller during city commuting, but it’s best to walk around the car and check if the tires are flat before getting in after parking under the sun. I always keep a tire pressure gauge in my car. If I find that it hasn’t been checked for over three months, the rubber can slowly leak air, dropping about 0.3 kg, which is a hidden danger for tire blowouts! Now I check it every two weeks, especially before long trips, to ensure all four tires are within the standard range.