So my back two tyres look like they have a slow leak - I mean I fill them up and three weeks later they are about 12 psi.

Apart from being dangerous how does this affect the car? My hubbie does not want to replace them and I need to convince him

I believe you will have less grip and braking will take longer

Leaving aside the likelihood of injuring or killing someone through having an accident due to your (or his) stupidity in continuing to drive your car with under-inflated tyres, I wouldn't worry too much as they will be worn out in no time.

On the brighter side, if you get spotted by traffic police driving your car in such a dangerous condition, then with a bit of luck you will be disqualified and no longer a danger to others.

It is no excuse to use your car in this condition because your husband is stupid or mean.

Leave your car on the driveway and buy a bus pass.

Under inflated tyres over heat, and you run the risk of a serious blow out, with the tyre coming off the wheel as the sidewalls break up.

You could end up flying into oncoming traffic and killing someone. That could land you in jail for 4 years or more. Plus you have to live with the thought, that you ended a life, for the want of spending a hundred quid on decent tyres.

it might just be a couple of dodgy valves, easily fixed for a few quid. Another cause could be corosion on the inner part of the wheel where the tyre is making contact causing a small leak, again cheap for a tyre centre to fix. Your slow leak could mean anything, it may not even be the tyres, the wheel could be cracked or simillar. It always pays to get the cause identified before they possibly fail and you could be in a very major accident.

Their are a few things that under inflated tyres cause.

Potential accident, Huge fine.

Tyre flexes outside of its design remit.

This can compromise the tyre construction

At speed, this causes rapid heat build up, further damaging the tyre through molecular changes

The handling of the car is very much different than is ideal, Front wheel, steering accuracy is degraded, the steering wheel needs to be turned further, the crown of the tyre moves less the tyre wall distorts understeer. Rear wheel wall distorts casing oversteer.

12 psi at speed is very dangerous predictability is poor, tyre could come off the rim or blow out.

Off Road their are some benefits, lower ground pressure, more tread on the ground. Greater grip on most surfaces. Softer ride.

Get it srted

At the end of the day tyres is what keeps you on the road, it provides the acceleration, braking and turning.. so they have a hard life, and anything that makes it fail makes you fail.. Anyway tyres don't usually cost the earth.. if you can afford to own a car then in my eyes you should be able to afford to look after it properly :yes:

Get your tyres sorted , a few psi here and there wouldnt make much difference , but running tyres at 12psi is a one way ticket to the morgue for you (and anyone else involved in your accident if you are unlucky)

Doesnt your hubby love you?

Than kill him before he kills you (or worse someone completely innocent).

All the facts are already listed. It is not only your safety but also that of many others.

Go to a tyre shop and let it be checked, doesnt have to need new tyres if it is only a valve.

But let it be checked and cured.

Same as on so many winter tyre threads (here and on every other board), we want to be healthy, want to live long, want to be safe and live in luxury.

But the only contact between car and road is so often neglected and we dont want to spend any money on this important part.

under inflated tyres cost fuel, you will probably be paying out the price of 2 new tires in fuel costs in about 2 months. also they could rupture very easily an alloy wheel can shread a tyre and cause a blowout if they are underinflated!

get them fixed or put something like holts tyreweld in them until you can get them fixed. If you exceed about 40/50mph you could be putting not only your own but other motorists lives at risk!!!!!

Please do not drive until this problem with your tyres is fixed. Especially dont drive anywhere near the M25, M3, M27,M271 which is where i'm at.

In all seriousness a 12psi drop is very significant.I've had tyres drop 2-3 psi when the weather turns cold but 12 indicates a big problem. As mentioned earlier it results in tyre wear, lost of traction, blow outs and increased fuel consumption. So all in all you're driving a car that is dangerous to yourself,other road users and you could potentially end up paying for it with your life and someone elses. It's not worth the risk in my opinion.

as said before if you are caught by the police say goodbye to both your car and your license.... its just not worth it, get it fixed surely your life is worth more than a £100 for some good tyres!

Are some people really this stupid?

GET YOUR TYRES FIXED WOMAN!

Where do you live???

Where do you live???

LOL! "Excuse me madam , would you mind stepping out of the vehicle please?"

God I detest the word 'hubbie' or even 'hubby' :( . It's just awful.

Hopefully the OP will read these comments and take them very seriously and perhaps show them to her husband to muse over.

What gets me was the casualness of saying

"Apart from being dangerous how does this affect the car? My hubbie does not want to replace them and I need to convince him"

It's unfortunately an attitude that is shared by some of the UK driving population. Oblivious to the value of doing basic checks and correcting them asap.

In my last job where I used to work, we did a round the table survey of who knew how to check their car oil and who had recently checked their tyre pressures. Out of the 20 odd people,, none had checked their tyre pressures since owning their car as they left it to the annual service. And about 12 or 13 didnt know how to check the oil.

Edited 25 December, 200916 yr by newskoda

Are your tyres fixed yet?

So my back two tyres look like they have a slow leak - I mean I fill them up and three weeks later they are about 12 psi.

Apart from being dangerous how does this affect the car? My hubbie does not want to replace them and I need to convince him

"Apart from being dangerous......."

What else is there to be said?????? Your statement is almost unbelievable.

BTW, in addition to your tyres, I think you should get your husband checked out as well.

Edited 26 December, 200916 yr by ming

"Apart from being dangerous......."

What else is there to be said?????? Your statement is almost unbelievable.

BTW, in addition to your tyres, I think you should get your husband checked out as well.

lol :p

laura122 Hi again,

Look I have taken the liberty and have looked through a few of your posts. It is very evident that you have little knowledge of vehicles and that is quite common for young ladies and a few young gentleman too. I strongly recommend that have a look and see what sort of car maintenance courses are available in your area. My wife attended one many years ago. Luckily the night school course that she enrolled on was aimed specifically at women who might have no prior knowledge of automobile maintenance. These are fairly basic courses looking at things like tyre pressure monitoring and tyre maintenance, wheel changing, battery monitoring and changing. Checking the oil levels in the engine toping up, oil changes, radiator checks, antifreeze mix, windscreen washer filling changing blades. Repairing small damage to bodywork using fiber glass anti rust, painting and so on. It covered far more than that and different members of the corse took turns taking their own cars in, so that the tutor could better help them understand their own cars. It is far less intimidating than being taught perhaps by an irritated boyfriend or husband who may assume that you have some knowledge already and do not understand any lack of ability in this area. Not only did she enjoy the course but she learnt a lot too.

She can now change her own wheels including landrover sizes and do most of the simple maintenance that are required day to day. She does not need a man to tell her how to do it and will even help out others misfortunate to have simple problems on the road from time to time.

Edited 26 December, 200916 yr by Anthony 1

3 points and £60 per tyre plus wasted fuel and increased insurance costs, please get them sorted.

"My hubbie does not want to replace them and I need to convince him"

I realise that this is a serious subject with the possibility of some very serious consequences (one of my biggest fears travelling 30k+ miles on motorways every year is blowouts, mine or otherwise!) , but we are not fully aware of the OP's situation regarding "hubbie" and the fact that she has to convince him to spend money on her car. She has asked a question and in the large part "it has been answered" albeit with an air of disdain. I would be keen to know if "hubbie" would drive the car with the tyres in the same state though?

I agree with Tony!

God I detest the word 'hubbie' or even 'hubby' :( . It's just awful.

RIght there with you.

It's a detestable word.