GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- You should inflate your vehicle's tires to a higher pressure in the winter than in warmer weather to maintain traction and handling.
So says Al Schwinkendorf of Verburg Automotive Services, 6915 Cascade Rd. SE, in Grand Rapids. He was a guest Friday on West Michigan's Morning News.
"The rule is, for every 10 degrees the temperature drops you lose a pound of air. So, if (the tires) were okay when it was 50, and your tires don't leak and it's zero (degrees) out, they're down 5 PSI (pounds per square inch)," Schwinkendorf told WOOD Radio.
He says the temperature sensor systems in most vehicles will tolerate tire pressure being off about six to eight pounds before turning on the warning light.
Schwinkendorf said the alloy wheel rims on vehicles nowadays allow road salt to get in between the tires and the rims.
"And it oxidizes it, and they leak like crazy," he said.
Experts recommend you check your vehicle's tire pressure every couple of weeks. Proper tire inflation can improve your gas mileage.
Schwinkendorf says you can find the correct tire pressure should be by checking your owner's manual or by looking for a yellow sticker inside the driver's side door jamb.
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