When Would You Increase The Pressure in Your Tyres so it’s Above The Normal Value?
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When would you increase the pressure in your tyres so it’s above the normal value?
Increase the pressure in your tyres above the normal level when carrying a heavy load. The extra tyre pressure is needed to counter the weight of the extra load.
Check your vehicle’s handbook for guidance and reduce the tyre pressure back to normal levels when you’ve offset the extra weight.
What happens to your tyres when you drive with a heavy load?
The extra weight stresses the tyres when you drive with a full car and boot. This could cause low tyre pressure, poor fuel economy and an increased risk of a tyre blowing out.
Dangers of low tyre pressure
If the pressure in your tyres is below the recommended PSI, you could damage the tyres and rims on your vehicle. If you go over a pothole with low tyre pressure, you could seriously damage your vehicle.
If you drive with low tyre pressure, your car could pull to the side when steering or braking.
FAQs
Some high-spec modern vehicles have a setting in the dashboard or heads up display telling you when the tyre pressure is too low or high. If your vehicle doesn’t have this, you can check tyre wear.