Posted on 1/30/2026
Underinflated tires are one of those issues that can sit in the background for a long time. The car still drives, so it’s easy to put it off. But little changes start creeping in. The steering needs more correction, the car feels less settled in turns, and you notice you’re filling up sooner than you used to. A lot of the time, it comes down to tire pressure being lower than it should be. Why A Few PSI Makes Such A Big Difference Tires carry the vehicle’s weight and manage every steering, braking, and acceleration input. When pressure drops, the tire flexes more as it rolls. That extra flex creates heat and increases rolling resistance, which means the engine has to work harder to maintain speed. Low pressure also changes the shape of the tread where it meets the pavement. Instead of a stable, even contact patch, the tire deforms more under load. That can make the car react slower to steering inputs and feel less predictable when the road surface ... read more