Pump up your tires to keep them operational during the summer heat

SALT LAKE CITY — This many days at or above 100 degrees can present unique challenges for machinery of all kinds, including our cars. Namely, their tires. A tire does not do well in the heat.

“They do terrible,” said Robbie Carter, manager of the Big O Tires in Salt Lake City. “The thing that ruins tires and the most dangerous to our driving is tires being overheated as a result of underinflation. It’s super important to maintain the tire pressure.”

Low tire pressure and heat are a bad combination.

“The problem is that if people have low tire pressure or their tire light is on and they drive on the freeway, that overheating is what causes most blowouts,” Carter said.

Don’t ignore the tire light on your dash, especially during the summer heat

Why do people ignore the service lights on their dashboards? Maybe for the same reason we put off going to the doctor until we’re seriously ill.

“The tire light on the dash is one light that should not be ignored,” Carter said. “Some people just ignore it and hope it goes away. Most people — especially women drivers — want to get it taken care of in a hurry.”

Does the type of tire make a difference in the heat?

If your tires are underinflated, they’re going to struggle with the heat whether they are little passenger car tires or big truck tires.

“The difference is with a passenger tire, you don’t have the inflation that you have with bigger trucks,” Carter said. “So, if you have a leak, the tire will go flat faster.”

Some drivers keep their winter tires on all year round.

“A winter tire is designed to give you the best traction, meaning stopping and starting, when the ambient temperature is 47 degrees and lower,” Carter said. “If you run one at 100 degrees, two things are happening. First, the tire is not going to perform as it was designed to do. And second, the tire will wear extremely fast because of the rubber compounds.”

When was the last time you checked your tire pressure?

Do you wait until you get a flat to check your tire pressure? Or until the light comes on on your dash?

“I don’t think enough people check it,” Carter said. “Low tire pressure is the major cause of tire overheating and blowout. Low tire pressure causes the tires to wear faster and run hotter. It’s also going to affect fuel economy.”

So, there is a financial incentive to make sure your tires have the right pressure.

In case you’re not clear on how to know what your tire pressure should be, Carter explains, “On the driver’s door, there’s a plackard that tells you the manufacturer’s recommended air inflations for both front and back.”

Amanda Dickson is the co-host of Utah’s Morning News and A Woman’s View on KSL NewsRadio. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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