Adjusting tyres pressure when the weather is colder

Adjusting tyres pressure when the weather is colder

A question that pops up a lot is “should I increase my tyre pressures through the winter months” or “my friend said I should adjust my pressure from 30psi to 50psi in the winter, is this correct”

The outside temperature has an effect on your tyre pressure because when the temperature is colder the pressure in your tyres will drop slightly.

Vehicle manufacturers do not list a separate setting in colder weather for summer tyres but in some cases for winter tyres they do list a slightly different tyre pressure but this is usually only 2 – 6 PSI difference from the standard pressure.

So basically unless you have winter tyres (M + S means Mud and Snow) and your vehicle manufacturer states a change in pressure, you should have no need to adjust your tyre pressure from the standard pressure.

Here is an example of a tyre pressure placard with slightly different tyre pressures listed for winter tyres:

Highlighted in green are the same two sizes and their pressures, as you can see on the winter tyre (the size marked with M+S on the end) has an increased pressure of 3 – 6 psi.

So what to I need to do to my tyre pressures in the winter?

In winter you just need to do the same as summer, which is check your tyre pressures and adjust them to the standard setting, this will correct the drop in pressure caused by the temperature.