How to Recognize (and Repair) a Slow Tire Leak
When it comes to your car's safety and performance, your tires are literally where the rubber meets the road. That implies that if your tire is leaking, you may be jeopardizing your safety.
A leaking tire results in low tire pressure, which reduces fuel efficiency and puts you at danger of a blowout. It also reduces your car's ability to handle correctly, making it more difficult to respond to emergency circumstances or drive in bad weather.
In this post, we'll go through how to detect and repair slow tire leaks. Don't just disregard that low pressure sensor; read this tutorial!
The Leading Causes of Slow Tire Leaks
There are three typical causes of slow tire leakage. Let's go through each of them immediately.
Valve stem damage - Because old valve stems wear out, new tires usually come with new ones. Older valve stems may deteriorate over time owing to usage, dislocation, and exposure to road chemicals such as road salt. They may corrode and deteriorate.
A broken valve stem will cause a sluggish and continuous leak. This leak might be coming from the valve's body or the valve's base, where it touches the tire.
Corrosion on the tire's mounting surface - Corrosion on the tire's mounting surface, where the bead rests, can create a leak when the tire pulls away from the mounting surface over time.
Driving into a curb, step bump, or over a pothole can potentially cause damage to the mounting surface. A gradual leak is expected if the metal surface is bent.
Puncture damage is perhaps the most prevalent source of slow tire leakage. When you drive over a nail, screw, sharp piece of glass, or other item of trash, it often becomes lodged in your tire.
Contrary to common opinion, most punctures do not result in an instant flat tire or blowout. This is due to the fact that the item generally remains trapped in the rubber, preventing air from escaping rapidly.
Identifying a Slow Tire Leak
There are several methods for detecting a gradual tire leak.
TPMS (Tire pressure monitoring sensor) - A illuminated TPMS indicates that one of your tires is under-inflated. If you inflate them all and the TPMS goes off after a few days, you probably have a gradual leak.
Manual pressure readings - Even if you have a TPMS, you should check your tire pressure manually once a week or so. If one of your tires appears to be underinflated all the time, you may have a leak.
The "spray method" - To check that you have a leaking tire, combine soap and water in a spray bottle. Shake it up and apply it liberally to the tire. You've found the source of your leak if you detect bubbling on any surface of the tire!
How to Resolve a Slow Tire Leak
If you have a slow tire leak, you should have it properly repaired as soon as possible. You should maintain a tire plug or repair kit in your car. These kits are simple to use and will keep your tire inflated until you can take it to a professional tire repair facility.
A "plug and patch" will be required to permanently repair a tire leak caused by a puncture. This form of repair entails removing the tire from the wheel and applying a plug and patch combination to the tire.
If your leak is caused by a defective valve, you must replace it or risk damaging your tire. Leaks produced by a faulty mounting surface may necessitate the replacement of the complete wheel.