Section 2 – Tire Safety Information
R4 3/30/2017
Page 17
vehicles are a major cause of tire failure. Therefore,
as mentioned above, to avoid flat tires and other
types of tire failure, you should maintain proper tire
pressure, observe tire and vehicle load limits, avoid
road hazards, and regularly inspect your tires.
2.5.2 Finding Your Vehicle's
Recommended Tire Pressure and
Load Limits
Tire information placards and vehicle certification
labels contain information on tires and load limits.
These labels indicate the vehicle manufacturer's
information including:
•
Recommended tire size
•
Recommended tire inflation pressure
•
Vehicle capacity weight (VCW–the maximum
occupant and cargo weight a vehicle is
designed to carry)
•
Front and rear gross axle weight ratings
(GAWR– the maximum weight the axle
systems are designed to carry).
Both placards and certification labels are
permanently attached to the trailer near the left
front.
2.5.3 Understanding Tire Pressure and
Load Limits
Tire inflation pressure is the level of air in the tire
that provides it with load-carrying capacity and
affects the overall performance of the vehicle. The
tire inflation pressure is a number that indicates the
amount of air pressure– measured in pounds per
square inch (psi)–a tire requires to be properly
inflated. (You will also find this number on the
vehicle information placard expressed in kilopascals
(kPa), which is the metric measure used
internationally.)
Manufacturers of passenger vehicles and light
trucks determine this number based on the vehicle's
design load limit, that is, the greatest amount of
weight a vehicle can safely carry and the vehicle's
tire size. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle
is referred to as the "recommended cold inflation
pressure." (As you will read below, it is difficult to
obtain the recommended tire pressure if your tires
are not cold.)
Because tires are designed to be used on more than
one type of vehicle, tire manufacturers list the
"maximum permissible inflation pressure" on the
tire sidewall. This number is the greatest amount of
air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under
normal driving conditions.
2.5.4 Checking Tire Pressure
It is important to check your vehicle's tire pressure
at least once a month for the following reasons:
•
Most tires may naturally lose air over time.
•
Tires can lose air suddenly if you drive over a
pothole or other object or if you strike the curb
when parking.
•
With radial tires, it is usually not possible to
determine underinflation by visual inspection.
For convenience, purchase a tire pressure gauge to
keep in your vehicle. Gauges can be purchased at
tire dealerships, auto supply stores, and other retail
outlets.
The recommended tire inflation pressure that
vehicle manufacturers provide reflects the proper
psi when a tire is cold. The term cold does not relate
to the outside temperature. Rather, a cold tire is one
that has not been driven on for at least three hours.
When you drive, your tires get warmer, causing the
air pressure within them to increase. Therefore, to
get an accurate tire pressure reading, you must
measure tire pressure when the tires are cold or
compensate for the extra pressure in warm tires.
2.5.5 Steps for Maintaining Proper Tire
Pressure
•
Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure
on the vehicle's tire information placard,
certification label, or in the owner's manual.
•
Step 2: Record the tire pressure of all tires.
•
Step 3: If the tire pressure is too high in any of
the tires, slowly release air by gently pressing
on the tire valve stem with the edge of your tire
gauge until you get to the correct pressure.
•
Step 4: If the tire pressure is too low, note the
difference between the measured tire pressure
and the correct tire pressure. These "missing"
pounds of pressure are what you will need to
add.
•
Step 5: At a service station, add the missing
pounds of air pressure to each tire that is
underinflated.
•
Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they
have the same air pressure (except in cases in
which the front and rear tires are supposed to
have different amounts of pressure).
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