Why Are My Car Tires Losing Pressure in the Cold?

Have you been outside lately? Temperatures are abnormally low for this time of year in Clermont and it’s almost unbelievable. Wintery weather is atypical for Florida and it’s an unwelcomed change when the temperature drops below 70 degrees. While you may be brushing the dust off your winter coats and bundling up most mornings, you may have also noticed some changes in your vehicle.

The most obvious thing may be the overly fogginess of your front and rear windshields, but we’re talking about something that is sure to be panic inducing. If you’ve started your car and seen that your car tire pressure sensor came on your dash, you’ll know what we’re talking about. Cold weather can create a lot of issues for our vehicles, but your tires losing pressure can definitely pose a problem if left unchecked. Toyota of Clermont is here to explain why this happens, how to fix the issue, and, ultimately, ease your panic.

Why Do My Car Tires Lose Pressure in the Cold?

Why Tires Lose Pressure

With it being so cold in Clermont lately, you’ve likely experienced your car tire pressure light illuminating when you first turn on your car in the morning. Your first instinct is likely to make a mad dash to all four of your car’s shoes to see if they have debris, nails, or holes in them. After realizing that there’s seemingly nothing wrong with your tires, you may start to question the accuracy of your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The truth is that lower temperatures naturally affect tire pressure due to the lower air density. Essentially, the air outside your tires becomes less dense with lower temperatures and your tires lose pressure faster than normal as a result. It’s perfectly normal, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about your car tire’s pressure.

How to Fix the Problem

Luckily, this car tire problem isn’t out of the ordinary and can be fixed by taking a few easy measures:

• Get a Clermont Toyota car tire pressure gauge to keep on hand. These are small, inexpensive, and will save you many stress headaches from your TPMS coming on. When you see your tire pressure light activate, check the pressure on your tires. This will help verify that the lower pressure is a result of the cold and not something else.
• Inspect your tires. Most tires will lose pressure with temperature drops naturally, but older and more worn tires could lose more pressure and at a faster rate. Visually inspect your tires to see the amount of tread on them. If they’re looking low, that would explain why they lost a larger amount of pressure than normal.
• Re-inflate your tires as needed. As your tires lose pressure you should add more air to keep them properly inflated. Make sure to re-inflate them to a sensible amount (refer to the sidewall of your tires for the correct pressure amount). If your tires are more on the worn side, it might be time to consider replacing them.

Stay warm and safe this holiday season! If you need help inspecting or re-inflating your car tires, visit Toyota of Clermont. You can schedule an auto service appointment online or visit us at 16851 State Road 50 seven days a week.