How Does Temperature Affect Your Tires?

One thing you (and other drivers) may not consider in caring for your tires is temperature. We all know about alignments, rotating tires, and checking air pressure. Rarely do we think about maintenance for a temperature change, but temperature can affect your safety and performance. Proper care and maintenance are important for both hot and cold weather, and especially when transitioning from one to the other.

The Golden Rule

There’s a so called “golden rule” when it comes to temperature and your tires. This is basically that for every 10 degree fluctuation in the outside temperature, tire pressure will increase or decrease by 1 psi. So if it gets 10 degrees colder outside, your tires will go down by 1 psi. If it gets 10 degrees warmer, your tires will increase by 1 psi.

In Cold Weather

That golden rule we talked about can mean that, as the weather gets colder, your tires could end up underinflated, which can be a problem. You see, underinflated tires tend to run hotter than when properly inflated, and this excess heat can lead to early tire failure. But that’s not the only issue it can cause.

As you can imagine, a tire that’s underinflated isn’t going to sit on the road the way it’s supposed to, which means it’s also not going to wear the way it’s supposed to. Usually they’ll wear in such a way that the outer tread is going to wear away faster than the center, because the edges are squished down against the road more. This can be even more obvious if you have winter tires. They have a softer rubber compound. While this is great for maintaining flexibility, it also means that uneven wear can happen faster and be more evident. On top of all this, you’re losing out on your fuel economy, too! Less air means a greater rolling resistance, which may not seem like a big deal, but it can actually cut your fuel economy by as much as 1 mpg.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, underinflated tires are also a safety hazard. All of what was mentioned above can affect the handling, but the excess heat can also cause sudden blowouts, and that’s never great.

The takeaway is check your air pressure. Basically, in cold weather, it doesn’t hurt to get into the habit of checking it once a week and if it’s really cold (we’re talking deep freeze), you may even want to check every few days. Better safe than sorry! If you didn’t already know this, it’s worth mentioning that you’ll want to check your tires before you’ve been driving. Because driving generates heat, it can actually increase your air pressure from 2-5 psi. So, you want to check it and fill it when it’s cold, to make sure you’re getting it right.

In Hot Weather

Cold isn’t the only thing that can affect your tires. Remember the golden rule? Hot temperatures take their toll as well, this time pushing the air pressure up. So, when the weather gets warm again, those tires you adjusted for the cold could end up overinflated. This brings out a whole new set of issues.

Just like underinflated tires, overinflated tires aren’t going to wear evenly, but this time it’s going to be the middle of the tread that takes the hit. It’s pushed into the road more than usual while the edges are lifted off. Also as with underinflated tires you’re at a higher risk of a blowout. Unlike cold weather issues, though, overinflated tires will actually lower your rolling resistance. The benefit is marginal, though, and the risk of a blowout, wear problems, or both make it definitely not worth it..

Really, the lesson with this whole thing is to check your tire pressure. Air pressure plays a big part in the health of your tires, and improper inflation can result in premature tire replacement or even damage. While tires do naturally lose some air pressure over time, big temperature changes can throw a wrench into the machine. This is why it’s important to know how temperature affects your tires, so you know when and how often to check them.