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Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that touches the ground, so it's important to keep them well-maintained and properly inflated. Under-inflated tires wear out more quickly, ruin your gas mileage, and contribute to over 11,000 crashes every year. Nails in the tire, punctures, and torn rubber are usually obvious, but what if your tires keep losing air without any obvious signs of damage?

4 Reasons Tires Lose Air

1. Valve Stem Problems

The valve stem is the small tube where you put air back into the tire. Because they stick out, valve stems suffer more exposure to air, light, and other factors that break down rubber over time. Eventually, they can deteriorate, becoming porous or actually cracking, allowing air to constantly escape. Fortunately, a faulty valve stem can usually be replaced without buying a whole new tire.

2. Improper Mounting

tiresEven brand-new tires in perfect condition won't keep air in if they're not mounted correctly. An error by the technician, corrosion of the wheel itself, or a dented rim can result in an imperfect seal, causing your tire to leak air.

3. Temperature Changes

Air constricts in the cold and expands during warmer weather, which can cause significant changes in tire pressure. In general, you can expect a pressure change of one or two pounds for every 10 degrees in temperature change.

4. Rubber Deterioration

As your tires age, the material will start to degrade, allowing air to escape through the walls. Extreme temperatures, poor maintenance, and exposure to contaminants can also compromise the integrity of your tires, lowering your tire pressure.

 

Fort Mitchell Garage is Covington, KY's one-stop shop for automotive repairs, handling everything from tire repairs to oil changes and engine rebuilds. If you keep losing tire pressure, visit our website to see how we can help, call (859) 431-3326 to make an appointment, or just bring your car by the shop today.

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