Why does my car tire pressure drop when it’s cold?
As winter approaches and the temperatures get colder, have you ever wondered why your car’s tire pressure light comes on?
As frigid temperatures blanket large swaths of the country, auto experts are debunking long-held myths about driving in cold weather.
AAA, a federation of auto clubs, recommends that drivers start their engines and let their cars idle for as long as it takes to fasten their seat belts. This time ensures that lubricating oil reaches all important parts of the engine.
The Environmental Protection Agency says that leaving your car idling not only causes unnecessary engine wear but also causes air pollution and wasted fuel. According to AAA, driving your car normally and avoiding sudden acceleration will help your engine warm up faster than leaving it idling for several minutes.
But experts warn that older cars and electric vehicles may need extra care before hitting the road.
How the car warm-up routine started
According to Carfax, this warm-up process began decades ago when cars were more likely to stall in extremely cold environments.
Until the 1980s, cars were equipped with a carburetor, a component that regulates the mixture of air and fuel in the engine, Carfax said. At that time, it made sense to heat your car in the winter. That’s because it could take several minutes for the right mixture to reach the engine, or the car risked stalling or sputtering.
Carfax said modern cars use electronic fuel injection instead of carburetors. This system helps quickly deliver the right air and fuel mixture so the vehicle is ready to hit the road within seconds, even in cold temperatures.
“Unfortunately, certain habits are difficult to break and misinformation is rampant,” Carfax said. “If you owned an older model and sold it later, those habits may have been passed on to the next generation.”
EV exception
While most internal combustion engines don’t require warming up, EV owners may need to take some action before hitting the road, even though many people would prefer a warmer car.
According to Car and Driver, batteries tend to perform best at around 70 degrees. As temperatures drop, battery performance decreases, with some owners reporting a 10% to 20% drop in range when temperatures drop below freezing.
EV owners are encouraged to precondition their vehicle using the phone app associated with their vehicle to heat the battery and interior to operating temperature. The Department of Energy said this work is best done with the vehicle connected to power to ensure the battery is fully charged and the cabin is warmed to optimize performance.
“If your EV does not have preconditioning capabilities, warming up the vehicle for several minutes before driving will improve battery performance,” the DOE said. “And guess what? Unlike gasoline-powered cars, EVs don’t emit harmful fumes when you run them in your garage or on the road.”
Contributors: Coral Murphy Marcos, Dalvin Brown, Ben Tobin, Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY
