Are your tires new? Did you just have them inflated last night at the gas station? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions while still being faced with the problem of a flat or almost flat tire, then it’s time to be enlightened. Have you checked your tires lately? Flat tires are a common inconvenience (and have been a baptismal experience) for most drivers. A number of situations can cause them, and all can be dangerous if left undealt with. Unfortunately, there is no absolute way to stop flat tire occurrences, but having an awareness of what causes them and regularly checking on your tires will go a long way to ensure flat tires won’t be in your immediate future. However, if your tires are new or have just been recently inflated, your tires could be leaking air because of the following reasons:
Why Your Tires Keep Leaking Air
Defective Air Valve
Defective or faulty air valves can be culprits for new tires that keep leaking air. Replacing an air valve from an older car is easier and more inexpensive than replacing an air valve from a newer car. Newer cars can have tire pressure sensors built into the air valve, so replacing one isn’t advisable until you are certain it is defective or faulty.
Installation Errors
Flat tires can be caused by something as simple as a mistake made when first installing tires, such as cleaning the seal improperly or failing to remove a label of some kind. If sealed improperly, even new tires can become disappointingly flat and unbouncy.
Overinflated Tires
Overinflating your tires may create hazardous tire pressure situations in the future, often resulting in tire blowouts. If you don’t know how to check your tire pressure, Triangle Tires in the Philippines can teach you and help you out.
Ripped or Worn-out Tires
A ripped or worn-out tire can create a precarious situation on the road for you and other drivers. Remember to always check on your vehicle’s tires for damage! Examples of such tire damage could be deeply scuffed or worn-out areas or uneven wear on tire tread.
Road Hazards
Potholes, uneven roads, and unexpected road debris can wreak havoc on your vehicle’s tires, axles, and undercarriage.
Tire Punctures
Tire punctures due to sharp objects, such as nails or glass, are the most common reason why tires leak air. Avoid tire punctures by driving around debris in the road or parking lots whenever possible. Or avoid making enemies because enemies have been known to puncture tires maliciously.
Valve Stem Damage
The small, trim protrusion from your tire, usually made from metal and rubber, is called a valve stem. It is unscrewed when a tire needs to be inflated. Damaged or faulty valve stems cause air to be let out of tires, eventually making them flat. In addition, dry, cracked tire rubber, or wheel corrosion, can break the valve stem’s airtight seal, leaking out air.
Tire and Rim Separation
This type of separation usually occurs when you roughly bump your tires on the curb or if you rub the wheel sharply against the sidewalk while parking. As a result, tires can slip slightly from the rim, causing slow tire air loss over time.
A flat tire can happen to anyone. Therefore, always drive safely and carefully, and follow proper safety procedures if a flat tire unexpectedly wreaks havoc and causes a blowout on the road. It’s important to remain responsible for vehicular maintenance and vigilant for vehicular safety because sometimes there is no real way to prevent a flat tire from happening.
