One of the more commonly asked questions we get here in our service department is about a little light on the dash. If you aren't familiar with this light, it can look pretty ominous. Don't worry, it is only the Low Tire Pressure Warning Light. Tire pressure is an important piece of the performance puzzle and if you don't pay attention to it you can have some serious consequences.
"If tire pressure is too high, then less of the tire touches the ground. As a consequence, your car will bounce around on the road. And when your tires are bouncing instead of firmly planted on the road, traction suffers and so do your stopping distances. You'll also feel a decrease in ride comfort. (Hint: If you notice that every tie you own has coffee on it, check your tire pressure. It may be too high.)If tire pressure is too low, then too much of the tire's surface area touches the ground, which increases friction between the road and the tire. As a result, not only will your tires wear prematurely, but they also could overheat. Overheating can lead to tread separation — and a nasty accident. One sign of low tire pressure is if your tires squeal when cornering.And you need to check your tire pressure even if your tires aren't leaking. Why? Because tire pressure also changes with the temperature outside. Tire pressure decreases by about 1 pound per square inch for every 10-degree drop in outside air temperature. So if you last had your tire pressure checked in July, when it was 80 degrees outside, and it's now January — and the temperature is minus 20 — your tires may be underinflated by 10 pounds, which is dangerous." - CarTalk.com
Watch as Liz walks you through the importance of this light:
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