Just because my tires are low on air, what’s the big deal?

According to a Website, a 2014 VW Jetta takes 31.68 PSI (Pounds of air per Square Inch) in the front tires and 29.716 PSI in the rear tires. There are some quality tire pressure gauges on the market but you’ll need a new digital model if you want one that will give you a reading to the thousandths of an inch of pressure.

The idea that Volkswagen saw fit to provide air pressure specifications to this degree of accuracy for tires on its vehicles suggests that VW does think it’s a big deal if your tires have low air. And Volkswagen is right.

Air pressure is critical in tires for several reasons, all of which should help convince you to maintain the proper air pressure in your tires.

Road Stability and Handling: A tire that is low on air will not steer and handle as well as a tire that is filled to specifications. The difference, if the tire is only a little low, may be almost imperceptible. But, in a crisis situation, it could be very real, too.
Durability: Tires last longer when they are filled with the proper air pressure. Think about it. If a tire is low on pressure, it will flatten out and more of the tire will make contact with the road. The wear will extend to the sidewalls where tires are not designed to experience wear. On the other hand, if you have too much air pressure in your tires, they’ll wear more in the center.
Comfort: the prescribed air pressure is determined to provide maximum comfort. It’s based on a cooperative effort between the tires, the shocks/struts and suspension.
Avoiding flat tires: Some tires go flat suddenly when something punctures the tire. In many cases, however, the tire will lose air slowly over time. A flat tire could leave you stranded on the side of the road somewhere.

How long does it take to check the air pressure in your tires? If you pull into a gas station that has an air pump (some even offer free air still), and you have your own tire pressure gauge, it should take no more than a few minutes. On the other hand, when you bring your car in for an oil change or other service, they should check the air pressure while they’re servicing your car.

If the tire is low, they can check for a leak.

If you want to ask them to check the air pressure in your tires, just to be safe, I don’t think they’ll mind. And it will give you peace of mind.

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