Cold Temps Affect Your Tires

Now that we have experienced our first truly arctic air of the season, it is important to remember to take care of your car -- especially the tires. The cold air leads to a decrease in tire's tire pressure -- or their PSI levels.

Since we haven't experienced much in the way of winter cold yet, your tires are probably fine. But each time the temperature drops 10 degrees, the molecules in your tires slow down and don't take up as much space. In fact, your tires will lose about 1 PSI per 10-degree drop. So while you may be fine now, it is a good reminder to check your tires frequently leading up to the heart of winter.

"Some dangers of ignoring the PSI level, safety. It's a huge umbrella of safety that a lot of things fall under. Terrible traction, the stopping distance is much longer. There could be dangers with the tires as far as knots and things like that which could cause blowouts. Very bad things can happen," says Zach Needham of Discount Tire.

So the next time you head out, check your tire pressure to ensure your vehicle is ready for the cold. Either use the gauge built into your vehicle, or check it manually with a cheap tire pressure tool.