Excess heat from the sun can badly affect your tires. As the temperature rises, the air pressure in your tires increases, causing them to explode. Over-inflation of tires could also interfere with braking and cause your tire to wear out prematurely.
Impacts of Heat on Tires
1. Friction- While driving, tires rub against asphalt, which creates friction. Friction results in excess heating up of your tires.
2. Rubber- Tires are made up of rubber molecules that are connected through polymers. Heat causes polymers to vibrate, which then contract, causing tires to burst upon encountering excess hot air.
3. Heated molecules- All objects are made of atoms and molecules. When molecules are heated, they begin vibrating intensely. This vibration causes the expansion of heated tires, especially during the summer.
Signs that your tires may blow out soon
Signs of Tire Trouble
1. Hot To Touch- Tires that feel excessively hot upon touching are most likely overheated.
2. High Air Pressure- Use a tire pressure gauge to check whether your tire has excess air pressure. This is an indication of over-inflation due to heat.
3. Do Not Rely Only On Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)- New vehicles have TPMS built in them, which indicates low pressure. In some cases, TPMS may not be able to reveal when the air pressure has become high. By comparison, a pressure gauge will display more accurate information.
How to Protect Your Tires
Getting your tires periodically checked at a local dealership will help to avoid blowouts. You could also prevent your tires from blowing out in the following ways:
1. Check the air pressure before you start driving. If you are driving through a hot place, check the pressure every 75 miles if you think over-inflation could be an issue.
2. Ensure your tires have not become too thin. Thin tires run a higher risk of getting blown out. Install summer tires which are better equipped to handle hot weather.
3. Keep your car tires adequately inflated while driving. The proper amount of air pressure depends on the car you drive. Stay up-to-date with your car maintenance and service needs.
For more information, visit our Sansone Windsor Nissan service center in Windsor, NJ, today. Shoppers from Cranbury, Princeton, and West Windsor can also drop by our dealership to know more about car maintenance.
