Not only good tires on the car contribute to safety, comfort and low fuel consumption. The correct tire pressure is also crucial. The ADAC therefore recommends checking the tire pressure every two weeks.
Tire pressure that is too low has a number of disadvantages. On the one hand, it puts a strain on your wallet because of the higher fuel consumption and lower mileage. On the other hand, it becomes dangerous if it is more pronounced, because the driving characteristics when steering and braking deteriorate significantly, especially on wet surfaces, which can easily lead to aquaplaning. At high speeds, the tire can even burst.
3.2 bar can be regarded as a guide value for the maximum maximum pressure (air pressure) of car tires of normal design up to and including the speed symbol T, for H, V, W, Y, ZR as well as M+S and Reinforced tires 3.5 bar.
ZR tires without a company label have a basic air pressure of 2.5 bar from 160 km/h up to and including 190 km/h. The air pressure then increases with speed by 0.1 bar per 10 km/h up to 3.0 bar at 240 km/h at full capacity. Above 240 km/h, load capacity and air pressure should be requested from the tire manufacturer.
 The air pressure should normally correspond to the manufacturer’s recommendations. |
 Insufficient air pressure leads to excessive heating of the tire. Tire damage, poor driving stability, high tire wear and increased fuel consumption are the consequences. |
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 Have your tires checked by professionals for free! |
 Annoying and dangerous – but: Flat tires can be avoided. |
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 Just check the tire pressure more often at the gas station. Preferably twice a month. The air pressure should be checked on cold tires, especially before long journeys. |
 The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm. Safety and tire experts recommend for winter tyres 4.0 and 3.0 millimeters for summer tires. |
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 Tire damage is often not visible to the naked eye. Causes of damage can also be a long time ago before they come into play. |
 Increased fuel consumption and CO² emissions – correct air pressure is worth it! |
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 Proven with the help of high-tech measuring devices: Incorrect tire pressure increases fuel consumption. |
 Air pressure should be checked twice a month on cold tires. |
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 Information on the correct air pressure can be found in the operating instructions, on the door pillar or on the fuel tank cap. |
 During the tire check, all safety aspects of the tire are checked and documented. Ask in your workshop. |
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 Information on the correct air pressure can be found in the operating instructions, on the door pillar or on the fuel tank cap. |
 From a tread depth of 4 millimeters, grip decreases on wet roads and the risk of aquaplaning increases. |
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 Just in case, the air pressure of the spare wheel should also be checked regularly. |
 Checking the air pressure: a few minutes for your safety. |
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 The tires are checked all around free of charge. |
 For safety reasons, tires should not be worn down to the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6 millimeters. |
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 With a flashlight you can discover small cracks and bumps in the tire. |
 With the test report, tire check participants receive important information about the condition of their tires. |
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 Use the free tire pressure reminder service from Reifenliste.de |
 In over 25,000 test centers throughout Germany, professionals check your tires free of charge. |
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 The 2004 tire check is quick, free and safe in over 25,000 test centers throughout Germany. |
 It is best not to approach curbs at all or only slowly at right angles. |
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 A changed rolling noise or shaking of the steering wheel can be an indication of dangerous tire damage. Tires should therefore be checked regularly for punctures, cuts, tears and dents. |
 Driving over curbs at acute angles can damage the inner tire structure and later cause the tire to burst. |
An inflation pressure of around 0.4 bar below the target value results in a 30 percent reduction in tire mileage and increases fuel consumption by two percent.
Check temperature
Check cool: All tire pressure values apply to cold tires. Even journeys under ten kilometers warm up the tires. Therefore, under no circumstances should air be released, but rather a slightly higher value than recommended in the manufacturer’s information should be set (0.1 – 0.3 bar).
More speed, more pressure: TÜV SÜD recommends a 0.3 bar higher inflation pressure for longer journeys on the motorway. However, the full load pressure is not generally recommended for fast driving. Full load refers to the loading of the vehicle. In larger station wagons, values close to three bar are sometimes provided for this, which are unsuitable for an unloaded vehicle even when driving on the motorway.
More weight, more pressure: If you load your car heavily or use all the seats for a longer distance, you have to increase the tire pressure. But after the tour, lower it back to normal pressure!
Don’t forget the screws: Valve caps are not decorative. They also seal the valve and protect it from dirt. This can disrupt the function of the valve, i.e. cause air loss.
The correct tire inflation pressure specified by the vehicle manufacturer can be found in the operating manual, on the frame of the driver’s door or in the tank cap. It depends on the vehicle load and can vary by up to one bar. If you go on vacation with a full load, you have to increase the tire pressure accordingly. In individual cases, vehicle manufacturers prescribe a higher tire pressure when driving at high speeds. Tire pressure values of approx. 0.1 to a maximum of 0.2 bar above the prescribed values do no harm in everyday use and give you a little reserve. This slightly reduces fuel consumption, but also comfort.
Pressure gauges are available to drivers at petrol stations, mostly free of charge. The tire should not be too warm at around 20 degrees during the measurement. It is best to check the pressure before driving or after only a short drive. The unscrewed valve caps should be stored in such a way that they do not get lost. They are an important protection against dirt, which under certain circumstances can lead to a leak in the valve.
How to measure: Place the adapter of the tire inflator straight onto the valve and press down so that no air escapes. Read the pressure value on the manometer and, if necessary, increase the pressure with the plus buttons. Do not lower the inflation pressure, especially on warm tires. Lowering the air pressure when the tires are cold is only necessary if it has been used for previous journeys[‚contents‘] has been increased and the current pressure value is more than 0.2 bar above the setpoint. Modern stationary devices with long spiral hoses make it possible to preselect the tire pressure. The tire pressure is automatically set to the preselected value after you press the OK button. This is signaled by a beep.
If, during regular checks, the driver finds that the tire pressure is well below the target value set last time, this is a possible indication of leaks in the tires or valves. Here the pressure must be checked closely and, if necessary, the wheel or tire must be replaced or repaired. Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are installed in new vehicles. They are primarily there to alert the driver to a rapid loss of pressure while driving. In the opinion of the ADAC, however, they do not release him from checking the pressure every two weeks. (dpp AutoReporter)
How is it measured?
the bar Unit of measure for pressure, has the previous designation atü replaced. The base unit of pressure measurement, the pascal, is related to the unit bar as follows:
1 Pascal (Pa) = 1 Newton/m2
105 Pa = 1 bar
1 mbar = 100 Pa = hecto Pa
Tire pressure that is too low increases the risk of an accident
The tires on the car are the safety element par excellence, because all forces have to be transferred to the road surface on surfaces that are just about the size of a postcard – when accelerating quickly and in brisk corners as well as when stepping on the brakes. If a driver has to avoid an obstacle and then get back on track, the air pressure is of crucial importance, explains the Society for Technical Monitoring (GTÜ).
Even with 0.5 bar of under-inflation on both axles, the vehicle no longer reacts precisely to steering movements and clearly pushes outwards. The explanation: If the air pressure is too low, the sidewall of the tire is deformed much more, which means that the tire cannot transfer the lateral or lateral forces that occur quickly enough – it becomes spongy. The reaction time becomes longer and in the long run the tire can be permanently damaged. An immediate risk if the reaction time is not sufficient in the event of an emergency and a long-term risk if the tire unexpectedly bursts due to constant overuse. In both cases, the risk of an accident can no longer be controlled.
GTÜ driving tests at high speeds at the limit show how important air pressure is for the vehicle’s lateral and lateral stability. The load change reaction provoked by sudden deceleration in the curve illustrates the differences. This means hard work not only for the driver. The air in the tires must stabilize the vehicle and keep it safely on track. With under-inflation, the vehicle suddenly oversteers heavily, and the rear quickly pushes outwards. Driving stability is completely lost. Experienced test drivers can intercept the vehicle – inexperienced drivers often have no chance here.
When wet, the profile is required. If the tread depth is too low, the tire cannot displace the water film or absorb and drain enough water. The contact with the road and thus the grip of the tires tears off. Driving at 60 km/h on a stretch of water makes this clear: while the new tire only loses grip at 90 km/h, with a minimum profile of 1.6 millimeters it’s already over at just under 70 km/h.
Tires only offer optimal safety if the air pressure is checked regularly and, if necessary, adjusted to the correct values (can be found in the vehicle’s operating instructions) and only if the tires have sufficient profile. The GTÜ experts therefore recommend, in the interest of traffic safety, to have summer tires replaced at the latest when they have a residual tread of 2 mm, wide tires when they have a residual tread of 3 mm and winter tires when they have a residual tread of 4 mm.