# How Did This Come To Be? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2024, 1:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053 "2024-06-03T01:34:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/21 "2024-06-03T13:36:26Z")
The instrument tire readout is a good quick-ref, but I still confirm with a known reliable gauge. Call me ‘ancient’! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/22 "2024-06-03T13:39:02Z")
It’s not a matter of “attitude”, and I think that the question I posed is a reasonable one. I am truly curious as to why anyone would need to own that many tire pressure gauges. If a gauge has proven to be inaccurate, I would dispose of it. Do you dispose of gauges whose accuracy can no longer be trusted? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/23 "2024-06-03T13:44:23Z")
> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > Not all gauges. Do you really believe that a $2.99 cutie candy-colored keyring gauge is going to return repeatable, accurate pressure readings as reliably as a $50 Longacre, or even a $12 Milton? I didn’t say all gauges. I was specifically talking about the ones built into the car. As for those standard strip $3.00 gauges - yes - they can be made very accurate. Tire pressure reading is actually fairly simple. We actually built a very accurate one in physics class. The problem with many of those cheap gauges is NOT the design, but the manufacturing and parts they use. Those sliding pen-type gauges can be made to be extremely accurate. The design is simple. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/24 "2024-06-03T13:48:07Z")
> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#): > > I rest my case, regarding investing in higher quality kit. I don’t think I make your case. I am not the normal car owner. I’ve been developing ride systems as my job from 1985 to 2006 and racing and tracking cars since 1986. Accurate pressure gauges are essential for both. 99.9% of people don’t do that and they don’t need supreme accuracy. The Longacre gauge was marked to 1 psi so they accept +/- 0.5 accuracy. The gauge I used for work and the one I now use is marked in 0.5 psi increments so the accuracy is +/- 0.25 psi. Them NASCAR and IndyCar boys have digital gauges that read accurately to the tenths of a psi but they cost more than $425. But they are the 0.01% of users. Most people, if they keep their tires within +/- 3 psi of correct, are doing really well. But even with TPMS systems, I still see posts of destroyed, under inflated tires on reddit’s mechanics subs. As one comic used to say… You can’t fix stupid! ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 1:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/25 "2024-06-03T13:49:37Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > Those sliding pen-type gauges can be made to be extremely accurate. The design is simple. Agreed! I own one that I was _shocked_ to find was within 1 psi of my good gauge. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 1:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/26 "2024-06-03T13:51:58Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > But even with TPMS systems, I still see posts of destroyed, under inflated tires on reddit’s mechanics subs. I’m guessing that, just as a lot of people ignore a lit-up CEL, there are probably also foolish folks who ignore the TPMS warning light. Many years ago, I knew a guy who I tried to help with some car “issues”, but he didn’t really want to be helped. He just kept repeating, “All I know is that I put gas in it and it goes”. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/27 "2024-06-03T14:08:53Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > I think that it’s more than an insinuation, and is just further evidence that a sizable portion of the populace doesn’t care very much about **all** phases of auto maintenance. If you ride in a vehicle with a bit of height, it is not at all uncommon to be able to look down at the instrument panel of sedans and see–very often–a CEL lit up. Several years ago, we had a post from a woman in (I think…) Maine, and her post read as follows: “The check engine light on my Suzuki has been on for the past **16 years**. What’s wrong with it?” In a 1995 or older model, the “service engine soon” light _only_ came on if something significant and likely to result in a drivability problem was wrong. Now, it comes on for silly reasons, which often cost more than a rational person would wish to spend in order to appease the computer into turning it off. Case in point. I have two older vehicles with persistent CEL codes that I simply don’t wish to spend the money to fix. One has an evaporative emissions leak (P0442, P0456), the other has a catalyst efficiency code (P0420). I do not wish to spend time and money chasing a miniscule leak in an evaporative emissions system, nor do I wish to replace a catalytic converter that costs over $700 online. I just want to get through the silly emissions testing nonsense, renew my license plates, and avoid being harassed for driving on an expired tag. So naturally, I find a way to keep the light off _long enough to get through emissions_, and then when it comes back on, whatever. That isn’t being “uninterested” in car maintenance–it’s avoiding wasting money unnecessarily. I simply do not believe that either of these alleged “problems” make a large enough difference in the amount of pollution which the cars produce, _compared to the cost of a “proper” fix._ Now if I had a gross polluter, which was burning massive amounts of oil, then obviously, I’d replace the engine, or buy a different car. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/28 "2024-06-03T14:21:24Z")
“Why do discount stores offer cheap merchandise?” Shocking!!! ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/29 "2024-06-03T16:02:34Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > My car displays the tire pressure on the dash and i haven’t needed to adjust the air in the tires for a year now. There isn’t a tire on the planet that won’t lose air in a year. Also, you appear to be claiming that you live somewhere where the temperature doesn’t change seasonally, which is very unlikely. You’re living up to your screen name as usual here. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/30 "2024-06-03T16:09:13Z")
> [@lion9car](#): > > you appear to be claiming that you live somewhere where the temperature doesn’t change seasonally, which is very unlikely. You’re living up to your screen name as usual here. I wrote what I said very late in the morning. I was super tired. I just recalled having the dealer put air in the tires a couple months ago, where they erroneously set the temp at 55 instead of 37 and caused the car to ride like a jeep. But honestly, it took a very long time for my tires to lose air. I would say close to the 1 year mark, and I live in NY where we have 4 seasons. My tires only get checked with a tire gauge at the dealer when I request it. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/31 "2024-06-03T16:17:05Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > But honestly, it took a very long time for my tires to lose air. I would say close to the 1 year mark, and I live in NY where we have 4 seasons. Something is not right here, but I’m not going to speculate where the problem is. In fact, tires lose ~1 psi for every 10 degree drop in temperature, and–of course–they gain ~1 psi for every 10 degree increase in temp. In other words, tires that were properly inflated in September, when the temp was 70-80 degrees, will actually be underinflated by the time that temps drop to… let’s say… 30 degrees. As a result, when temps start to drop in the late autumn, I add 1 or 2 psi, and when real NJ winter temps hit, I typically add another 1 or 2 psi, just to keep my tires inflated “normally”. And, when warmer weather comes, I begin deflating the tires by… a bit. I always try to maintain ~2-3 psi over the vehicle mfr’s recommendation, and that means adjusting the inflation pressure at least a couple of times each year. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/32 "2024-06-03T16:19:58Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > Something is not right here, but I’m not going to speculate where the problem is. I would appreciate if you speculate where the problem might be. This could help improve my knowledge of what’s going on. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/33 "2024-06-03T16:20:20Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > I would say close to the 1 year mark, and I live in NY where we have 4 seasons. In that case, if your tire pressure is correct in August, then you’re driving around on tires that are underinflated by around 4 PSI in winter. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/34 "2024-06-03T16:22:54Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > I would appreciate if you speculate where the problem might be. I think a good sized bathroom mirror might find the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/35 "2024-06-03T16:24:43Z")
I set the psi at 37. When driving, it increases by itself to 40 ( occasionally to 42). I would leave it there until it corrects itself. In very cold weather, it drops to 33 on cold and goes up to 36 when driving. I don’t mess with the fluctuation until the psi gets to 30. ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/36 "2024-06-03T16:41:55Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > As a result, when temps start to drop in the late autumn, I add 1 or 2 psi, and when real NJ winter temps hit, I typically add another 1 or 2 psi, just to keep my tires inflated “normally”. And, when warmer weather comes, I begin deflating the tires by… a bit. I always try to maintain ~2-3 psi over the vehicle mfr’s recommendation, and that means adjusting the inflation pressure at least a couple of times each year. Is 2-3 psi under a problem ? Or it’s ok to drive until it eventually inflates itself up to normal ? My car will alert me to put air in at 28 psi. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/37 "2024-06-03T16:48:30Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > Is 2-3 psi under a problem ? I value good, sharp handling, so it would be a problem for me. But, in general, it isn’t really a good idea to drive with **under** inflated tires. **Edited to add:** Your tires’ treadwear can/will be impacted by both underinflation and overinflation. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/1/011fdb120f936dffb847f84d0d223cf49187480e.png) ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/38 "2024-06-03T17:02:51Z")
> [@lion9car](#): > > if your tire pressure is correct The reason I trust my car tire pressure system is because when I’m at the dealer, the guy putting in air for me would tell me to leave the ignition on and to verify the correct temp. For example: his gauge would say 37 psi, then he gives me a thumb up to check if my dash says the same. I would then give him a thumb up to verify that it also says 37 psi on the dash. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/39 "2024-06-03T17:05:42Z")
> [@Clueless33](#): > > eave the ignition on and to verify the correct temp. What does the temp ( temperature? ) have to do with putting in tire air ? ---
**Author:** ![Clueless33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Clueless33](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Clueless33)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053/40 "2024-06-03T17:07:47Z")
> [@VOLVO-V70](#): > > What does the temp ( temperature? ) have to do with putting in tire air ? For the dash system to work ( as in to check the tire pressure from the dash, and in this case to verify ). [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053.md?page=1) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-did-this-come-to-be/195053.md?page=3)