How Long Can You Drive a Car with Low Tire Pressure?

For safety, you should not drive more than 50 miles with low tire pressure! The circular yellow signal on your dashboard with an exclamation mark in the middle is the low tire pressure light. This warning signal is different from the check engine light, and it indicates that the tire pressure of your vehicle is low.

Should you drive more if you’re in the middle of the street with the TPMS light on? How long can you drive and how fast? What are the consequences of going with the tire pressure being low? We have answered all of it here.

In a quick summary, driving with low tire pressure isn’t safe! If you must drive, go slowly and don’t drive for too long. Further information is below:

Is It Safe to Drive with Low Tire Pressure?

It is not safe to drive when your tire pressure becomes low. When a tire is not inflated correctly, the sidewalls of the tire face pressure for being overly flexed. As a result, heat builds up. Overheating of the tires leads to them blowing out, which can cause accidents.

Moreover, you lose control over your vehicle when driving with low tire pressure. Your brakes become slower, and steering performance reduces. As a result, operating under such conditions is far from ideal.

You may also deal with the following issues if you continue to drive with low tire pressure:

• Your vehicle ends up using more gas than usual.
• The tires’ lifespan significantly reduces if you keep moving with low tire pressure.

How Many Miles Can You Go with Low Tire Pressure?

If you must drive with low tire pressure, you should not pass a specific distance limit. How far you can go with a low-pressure tire depends on the condition of the road and the weather. Here’s a detailed distance limit measurement below:

Flat Roads

On flat roads with ideal driving situations, keep your driving under an hour with low tire pressure. Do not go over 50 miles.

Bad Roads or Offroad

Roads with potholes or uneven surfaces cause a lot of pressure on your tires. Offroad driving is also hazardous with tires that are not inflated enough. Therefore, keep your driving under 10 miles. Don’t go more than 10 minutes.

Summer

During summer, the heat can increase the chances of your tires blowing out due to overheating. As a result, drive slow and don’t go more than 30 minutes or 40 miles.

Winter

Even though overheating isn’t as common during winter as in summer, driving on snowy roads with low tire pressure means you could get yourself in danger. Therefore, keep it under 30 minutes or 40 miles.

This is How Fast You Should Go with Low Tire Pressure Warning

Drive the slowest you can when the low tire pressure warning light comes up. No matter how fast you need to reach your destination, do not go over 50 mph. If you cross that limit, you could get into accidents as low tire pressure makes it harder to control your vehicle and use the brakes.

Reasons for Low Tire Pressure

Some of the most common causes of low tire pressure are provided below:

Refill Requirement

Often, the reason behind low tire pressure will be that your tire requires a refill. Solving this is pretty easy as you can get your tire refilled quickly in a gas station.

Wear and Tear

Over time, most car components will require a replacement or repair. The same goes for the tires. Replacing your tires is the solution for this.

Nail Puncture

Sometimes nails or sharp objects pierce through the rubber tire. As a result, air can leak out of the tire and cause low pressure. This problem requires a proper tire repair.

Cold Weather

During cold weather conditions, the air in your tire can compress. Therefore, it can trigger the vehicle to turn on the low-pressure light. In such cases, refilling your tire is the easiest solution.

Final Note

If you encounter low tire pressure while driving, go to a nearby gas station to get your tire refilled. Getting into the risky habit of driving with low tire pressure is dangerous! Make sure you are driving at a low speed. Frequently checking your car’s tires will ensure that you do not get into such issues at awkward times and places.