Amazing as it may seem the pressure or the amount of air that you place in your tires determines the amount of fuel that you will need to operate your vehicle. It might appear that the tire is too far from the engine to make this determination; however, the truth is a tire that is under inflated or over inflated will be a factor in your fuel usage.

The best way to check your tire pressure is by using a properly working analog or digital tire gage. A tire that is under inflated puts more drag on the vehicle causing you to have to accelerate using up more fuel than normal. It is estimated that you can use from 3% to 5% more fuel in your vehicle with under inflated tires. The risk of having a severe accident is much greater when your tires are under inflated. It is a possibility that when you hit a curb or a pothole that you can throw your front end out of alignment damaging your tires as well. You should have your front end checked periodically to ensure that your car is properly aligned and check the tire pressure monthly.

You should not over inflate your tires as this could cause a sudden blow-out putting you into a severe accident. You will damage your vehicle and cause severe damage to the alignment. The tire that is over inflated will cause your engine to need more pull using more fuel. The ideal scenario is to keep your tires inflated at the right air pressure. You should check your owner’s manual in order to know what that pressure should be. In order to help your tires keep the same amount of usage in an equal manner it is best to rotate your tires about every 6,000 miles unless your owner’s manual dictates something other than that. When you notice that your tire is smooth it is time to have a tire replacement. You do not want to start losing your air pressure because of worn out tires on the vehicle.

Many times the use of a proper air gauge, rotating your tires, and constant awareness of the road you are driving are all valuable things to know in order to prevent excess fuel usage. It really does not matter the type of vehicle you are using all these things are very important to save you on your fuel. A good driver will always try to maintain his vehicle as well as being aware of his driving techniques. Using the right air pressure is vital to safety and to the amount of fuel used.