Are Your Tires Overinflated?

We’ve all heard that under-inflating car tires is bad practice since it causes the engine to work harder and ultimately results in poor fuel economy. But what happens when you over-inflate your tires? This is a topic covered much less frequently, but can have a major impact on your BMW. Take a look at what happens when you over-inflate your car tires:

• Tire Bulges
• Compromised Safety
• Decreased Handling

The pressure built up from too much air will result in the center part of your tires bulging out past the outside edges. This means that less of your tire will be touching the ground while you’re driving, which makes for weaker traction. Additionally, the center portion of your tires will wear out quickly and the chance of a blowout increases.

Overinflated tires are at greater risk for a blowout. Blowouts can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and negatively affect braking distance, endangering yourself and others on the road. Additionally, many of the safety features on your vehicle, like your anti-lock braking system, are designed to work when tires are filled to the vehicle manufacturer recommendations. Overinflated tires could compromise some of your car’s driver assistance functions.

Under-inflated tires can affect the handling of your vehicle as well. Because the overinflated tire cannot not absorb impact properly, your suspension will be forced to work harder to compensate. Not only will the suspension in your BMW wear out more quickly, but your ride won’t be as smooth as you remember it being.

Ensure your tires are inflated to proper manufacturer standards and steer clear of the negative side effects of over or under-inflated tires. Bring your BMW in today and have our BMW Certified Technicians put your mind at ease.