Surprising Reasons to Never Drive With a Soft Tire
Driving on a tire that continuously goes soft or loses pressure is a very bad idea, even if you're only driving a short distance. Your tires are more important to the overall safety of your car than you may realize, and driving on one when it's damaged in any way can put you at risk. It can also mean causing more expensive damage to your car than just the cost of replacing a tire. If your car has a soft tire or one that continuously loses pressure, note a few reasons why you want to consider getting it replaced rather than trying to keep inflating it.
1. Your car needs that cushioning
The air in your car's tires provides cushioning against all the bumps in the road, and without that cushioning, you can cause damage to many major parts of the car. With a soft tire, your car could suffer a bent rim if you were to hit a deep pothole. The cushioning provided by the air in your tires also protects the shocks in your car's suspension, and without that cushion, the shocks could easily break. All of these are very expensive fixes which could be avoided if you had a tire that was properly inflated at all times.
2. You're at risk of a blowout
Depending on why the tire keeps losing pressure, you could be at risk of an actual blowout. If there is a soft spot on the tire, this could fill with air as it bubbles outward and your tire gets flatter. This soft spot on the rubber cannot withstand the pressure of the tire and rather than just continuing to go soft, it might actually explode while on the road. This can cause pieces of rubber to hit other cars and cause severe damage.
3. The tire could suddenly go flat
Even if the tire doesn't suffer a blowout, it could suddenly go flat when you're on the road, even if you keep inflating a soft tire again and again. If there is a slight leak in the tire, driving on it can make the tear or hole even bigger. When a tire goes flat, it's virtually impossible to control your car. A flat tire drags a large section of rubber on the pavement, making it difficult to steer; brakes also don't grip flat tires. A car also pulls toward a flat tire, and if you're driving at a high rate of sped and the tire suddenly goes flat, this can cause your car to suddenly slide out of control. This can be very dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. For more information, contact a local car service.
