Consumer Advisory: Checking Your Tires First Step to Fighting Inflation at The Gas Pump

With soaring gas prices, Canadians are searching more than ever for ways to get better gas mileage out of their cars. Their tires are the first place they should start looking.
Tires can lose about a pound of pressure every month. Consequently, they should be checked every month with a tire gauge, and air should be added when required. It will make the ride safer and help squeeze even better gas mileage out of your car.
Changes in ambient temperature can also cause changes in tire pressure. This is especially significant in Canada’s climate where temperature swings of 15 to 20C are quite common particularly with autumn and winter creeping up on us. Every 5C change in temperature results in about 1 psi (pounds/square inch) change in tire pressure, so a drop of 15C would result in about 10 percent (or 3 psi) under-inflation.
As consumers lament the strain on their pocketbooks every time they fill up their vehicles, Bridgestone/Firestone Canada and its spokesperson, racecar legend Mario Andretti, would like to remind them to check their tire pressure. Proper inflation is essential for achieving maximum performance and mileage, extending the life of their tires and maximizing fuel economy.

Other tips:

 Check the pressure with a tire gauge when the tire is coldthis means when the vehicle has been driven less than 2 km or has not been moved for three hours.

 Check your tire pressure at least once a month, before long trips or when carrying extra weight.

 Check your air filter and keep your engine tuned. A clogged air filter and an improperly tuned vehicle will cause it to burn more gas.

 Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Vehicles burn more gas when carrying additional weight.

 Slow down and drive the speed limit.

 Avoid quick starts and stops.

Did you know that:

 At 120 km/h, most vehicles will consume 25% more gas than at 100km/h?

 Properly inflated tires can improve your mileage by more than 3 percent?

 In a survey conducted in Canada in 2003, 70% of vehicles had at least one tire over- or under-inflated by more than 10%?

 33% of vehicles had at least three or four tires over- or under-inflated by more than 10%?

 36% of consumers do not know how to properly measure tire pressure?

 Only 39% of drivers measure their tire pressure monthly or more frequently?