The first cold morning of the fall, you start your Chevrolet, Buick, or GMC and the tire pressure light is on. The tires look fine, and you're wondering how long it can wait until your next tire maintenance visit.
Or no light has come on, and you're not sure how often pressure, rotation, and tread are supposed to be checked.
Check your tire pressure with a gauge at least once a month, when the tires are cold. Cold means the vehicle has sat for at least three hours or been driven no more than one mile. The recommended pressure is listed on your driver's side door frame and in your owner's manual.
Check it before a long trip, when you're carrying a heavy load, and when you tow a trailer, and check the spare if your vehicle has one.
Underinflated tires handle poorly, wear out early and unevenly, and reduce fuel economy. Overinflated tires don't grip the road well and give a rough ride. Either kind overheats more easily, which risks a blowout.
The pressure light is the most common signal, and vibration, pulling to one side, and visible damage each call for something different.
| What you notice | What it can suggest | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| The tire pressure light comes on and stays solid | At least one tire is 25 percent or more below the recommended cold pressure. | Check the pressure in all four tires and bring each one to the recommended level. |
| The tire pressure light blinks for more than a minute and then stays solid | The tire pressure system isn't working properly, so it can't signal a low tire. | Have the system diagnosed, and check pressure with a gauge until it's repaired. |
| Vibration when you drive on a smooth road | An out-of-balance tire or wheel, uneven wear, or an alignment problem. | Check the pressure first, then schedule a balance and tire inspection. |
| The vehicle pulls to one side, or the tires show unusual wear | Misalignment, which wears tires unevenly and can cause pulling. | Schedule an alignment check. |
| A bulge, split, cracked sidewall, exposed cord, or puncture | The tire is damaged and needs to be replaced. | Have the tire inspected right away. |
| You can see the top of Lincoln's head in the penny test, or three or more tread-wear indicators (small bars in the tread grooves that become level with the tread as it wears) are showing | The tread has reached the point where the tire should be replaced. | Schedule tire replacement. |
Not until you've checked the pressure. A solid light means at least one tire is well below the recommended pressure, so check all four with a gauge, add air as needed, and drive the vehicle to turn the light off.
If the light blinks for more than a minute and then stays solid, the tire pressure system isn't working properly and can't signal a low tire. Schedule diagnostic service, and check your tires with a gauge until it's fixed.
A tire with a bulge, a split, or cord showing needs to be replaced, so don't keep driving on it.
Pressure drops about one to two pounds for every 10 degrees the temperature falls. A 30-degree drop can take three to six pounds out of a tire. Frost usually arrives in Murfreesboro in late October, so that's when the first cold mornings start lowering your tire pressure.
The pressure light doesn't come on until a tire is 25 percent below the recommended pressure. On a 35-pound recommendation, that's about 26 pounds. For many vehicles that warning can come too late to prevent damage, so the light doesn't replace a monthly check with a gauge. When the first cold mornings arrive, check the pressure while the tires are cold and add air as needed.
Every 7,500 miles if your vehicle is a 2011 model year or newer. For an older vehicle, your owner's manual lists the interval. Tire inspections are recommended during routine maintenance visits, so a rotation is a natural time to have the tread depth and wear patterns checked.
Try the penny test: place a penny upside down in the tread, and if you can see the top of Lincoln's head, the tread is below 2/32 of an inch and the tire should be replaced. Three or more tread-wear indicators around the tire, cord or fabric showing through, cracked tread or sidewall, a bulge or split, or a puncture also mean it's time to replace the tire.
Freezing and thawing loosen pavement through the winter, and that leaves potholes on Murfreesboro streets. A tire inflated above the recommended pressure is more likely to be cut or damaged by a pothole, and a hard hit can cause alignment problems. After hitting one, check the sidewall for a bulge or split and watch for the vehicle pulling to one side.
Our technicians evaluate tire condition, tread depth, and wear patterns to determine the right service for your vehicle. Depending on what they find, that can mean a rotation, balancing, a pressure adjustment, an alignment evaluation, or tire replacement.
Our tire maintenance at Chevrolet Buick GMC of Murfreesboro covers inspections, rotations, balancing, and pressure checks for Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC vehicles.
