Measure tire pressure: ADAC recommends that drivers check their tires regularly
Created: 11/16/2022, 06:00
By: Simon Mones
Drivers can only be safe on the road if the tire pressure is correct.
The ADAC therefore recommends a check every two weeks.
Safety is an important issue for drivers.
In autumn and winter, for example, the right preparation is important - and of course the right tires.
It is just as important that the tires always have enough air, which is why the air pressure must be checked regularly.
However, many motorists do this far too rarely.
For example, when you go on a summer holiday abroad with a packed car.
However, this is far from enough, as the ADAC explains.
The experts advise much more to measure the tire pressure every two weeks.
The right tire pressure not only ensures safety, but also saves sprint.
© Xander Heinl/Imagto
Measure tire pressure: ADAC recommends that drivers check their tires regularly
Even half a bar too little changes the driving characteristics of the car. For example, the braking distance (which you can easily calculate yourself) increases and cornering also deteriorates.
There is also a risk that the tire will flatten out at high speeds.
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"Even an inflation pressure of around 0.4 bar below the target value increases wear, and the higher rolling resistance of the tire means that up to 0.3 l more fuel is consumed per 100 km," explains the ADAC.
As a result, three billion liters more fuel are consumed in Europe every year.
If the tire pressure is too high, this has a negative effect on driving comfort and wear is also uneven.
Measuring tire pressure: control systems have been mandatory since 2014
It is therefore advisable to invest a few more minutes the next time you stop to refuel and measure the tire pressure.
However, this service now costs money at more and more petrol stations.
Alternatively, drivers can buy tire pressure gauges and thus check whether there is enough air in the tire at any time at home or on the road.
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An alternative are so-called tire pressure monitoring systems.
These use a sensor to automatically check whether the air pressure in the tire is correct.
These systems have been mandatory in all new cars since 2014, but they can also be retrofitted to older models.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, the system issues a warning so that the driver can adjust it as quickly as possible.
The correct tire pressure can be found in different places.
For example here:
Description in the user manual
B-pillar with the driver's door open
On a sticker in the glove compartment
Inside of the tank cap
On the manufacturer's website
“For reasons of comfort, manufacturers usually only specify the minimum pressure.
An increase of 0.2 bar is hardly noticeable in terms of comfort, but it reduces fuel consumption without sacrificing safety,” advises ADAC expert Ruprecht Müller.
Measure tire pressure: Tires should not be too warm
It is best to measure the tire pressure before driving or after a few kilometers have already been driven.
An outside temperature of 20 degrees Celsius is ideal.
"The tires should never be too warm," advises the ADAC.
To check whether there is enough air in the tires, first unscrew the valve cap and then connect the measuring device.
If the hissing noise does not stop immediately, the position of the plug must be corrected.
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As soon as the connection is tight, the tire pressure can be read on the display.
The amount of air in the tire can then be adjusted via plus and minus.
Incidentally, in addition to all four wheels, the spare wheel must also be checked, if it is available at all.
