Why Do Tires Blow Out in Summer?
4 Answers
The reasons for tire blowouts in summer are: 1. Air pressure issues; 2. Worn tread patterns; 3. Excessive wear on the tire surface or corrosion by oil substances; 4. Internal damage to the tire or bubbles in the tire cord layer. Methods for tire maintenance: 1. Regularly check tire pressure: The tire pressure value should be based on the standard recommended by the car manufacturer; 2. Regularly rotate tires: After the vehicle has been driven for a certain number of kilometers, the owner can swap the car's tires in a diagonal pattern; 3. Timely wheel balancing and four-wheel alignment: When the car has been involved in a collision accident, or if abnormal conditions such as wheel or steering wheel shaking, deviation, or increased steering effort are noticed during driving, the owner should promptly take the vehicle to a repair shop to determine whether wheel balancing or four-wheel alignment is needed.
After driving for 20 years, I've seen too many tire blowout cases, especially common in summer. Excessive tire pressure is the main culprit—high temperatures cause air expansion, and aging tires are more likely to fail. Last time I helped a neighbor change a tire, I noticed his tire had sidewall bulges but he kept driving. On highways in this weather, a blowout could happen any minute. Even tires worn down to the tread wear indicators are dangerous, as hot roads can be like blades. People always remember to inflate tires in winter, but in summer, they should also regularly pick out stones and check for cracks. Parking in the shade can extend tire life—it's really not worth skipping this effort.
From a physics teacher's perspective, a tire blowout is particularly fascinating: it's all about thermal expansion and contraction! In summer, the air inside the tire expands, increasing tire pressure by up to 15%. Rubber softens and becomes brittle on 60-degree road surfaces, leading to a 30% reduction in tire strength under this double whammy. The friction between the tread and scorching ground generates heat, akin to continuously blasting the rubber with a hair dryer. Add to that the centrifugal force pulling on the tread at high speeds, and weak spots in old tires burst like balloons. On long trips, remember to feel the wheel hubs occasionally; if they're too hot to touch, it's time to slow down and take a break.
In the summer, repair shops are flooded with cars suffering from tire blowouts. Here are three key takeaways: First, placing a patched tire on the front wheel is extremely dangerous, as high temperatures can cause the patch to separate. Second, never inflate tires to the maximum pressure indicated on the car door—leave a 0.2 bar margin when the tires are hot. Third, if you spot a nail embedded in the tire, don’t pull it out—slow leakage is far better than a blowout mid-journey. Last week, a customer drove on mountain roads with completely worn-out treads. The heat softened the tires into putty, and during a turn, the tire ripped open with a huge gash.
