Fall into a Tire Maintenance Routine

By Luigi Fraschini

If you are buying a new car this fall, newly mandated devices that are required on every vehicle will help monitor your vehicle's tire pressure. That's great, and it should save both fuel and lives, but a national tire industry group cautions that new tire pressure monitoring systems are not a replacement for an old-fashioned tire gauge. If you rely too much on the automated systems, it could cost you money or -- worst case -- your life.

Federal law requires every new 2008 model year vehicle to come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system that will warn a driver when tire pressure drops 25 percent. But the Rubber Manufacturers Association, which represents tire manufacturers, says that is no reason to throw away your tire gauge.

"Motorists risk tire damage if they wait to check tires until they see a dashboard warning light after a 25 percent loss of tire pressure," said Dan Zielinski, RMA vice president, communications. "For many vehicles, a pressure loss of less than 25 percent increases risk. That's why motorists must check tire pressure every month with a tire gauge."

The industry group has expressed its concern that the newly required tire pressure monitoring systems might prompt consumers to become even more blas‚ about tire maintenance. This fear is spurred by a current RMA survey, which indicates that tire pressure monitoring systems may give drivers a false sense that they know the inflation pressure of their tires. Two-thirds of drivers reported that they would be "less concerned with routinely maintaining" tire pressure if their vehicle had a monitoring system. When asked how often they would check tire pressure if their vehicle were equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, an alarming 40 percent of drivers said that they would either "never" manually check tire pressure or check it "only when the warning light comes on." That is a scary prospect, since tire pressure loss below the threshold of the new systems can be potentially harmful.

"Tire pressure monitoring systems can be effective at detecting an unexpected loss of tire pressure," Zielinski said. "But it is no substitute for regular tire maintenance with a tire gauge."

Tires can lose one to two pounds-per-square inch (PSI) of pressure each month naturally from internal air escaping through the seals and sidewalls. This kind of pressure loss does not indicate a problem with the tire, but it should be addressed by filling the tire to the proper pressure on a regular and timely basis. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that about one in every three cars has a significantly under-inflated tire and those 660 fatalities and 33,000 injuries occur every year as a result of low tire pressure-related crashes. According to RMA, 85 percent of drivers do not know how to properly check their tire pressure.

"With fall here, checking tire pressure is important because tire pressure drops one to two PSI for every 10-degree drop in temperature," Zielinski said. "Keeping tires properly inflated promotes safety, maximizes fuel economy and helps tires last."

Based in Cleveland, Driving Today Contributing Editor Luigi Fraschini writes frequently on auto safety issues.

Next Feature>>