Guide: What your tires really need

Let's be honest: when was the last time you checked your tire pressure? If you do this regularly (at least monthly): no offense. If not: there is still a lot of room for improvement - literally. Especially in everyday life, the pressure check is forgotten because the consequences are often not immediately noticeable. At least not at first glance.

The air pressure is crucial for the driving characteristics of a tire. This is the only way to keep the car stable, predictable and safe on the road. Incorrect pressure affects comfort, braking distance, cornering stability and the risk of aquaplaning, as well as wear and consumption. With too little air, the tire heats up and wears out more quickly; in extreme cases, there is a risk of punctures or blowouts. Too much pressure, on the other hand, reduces the contact area, grip decreases and the car becomes harder and less comfortable.

Keep an eye on tire pressure
But how much air is right? The manufacturer provides the values, usually in the door frame, in the tank cap or in the manual. There are often two specifications: for normal operation and for a full load. If you are traveling with luggage or several people, you should adjust the pressure accordingly, for example before a vacation trip. The time of measurement is also important. Unless otherwise stated, the value applies to cold tires. However, after a longer journey, the pressure rises (warm air expands) and gives the impression that the result is too high. For this reason, measurements should be taken on the coldest possible tire and air should never be released from a warm tire. The good news is that an extra 0.3 bar of pressure never does any harm; at most it has a slightly negative effect on comfort, but it reduces wear and balances out the warm tire factor as a safety reserve.

The easiest way to measure is at the filling station or with your own measuring device. To do this, unscrew the valve cap, fit the tester and check the pressure. If air is missing, it can be added directly (pistol grip or plus/minus buttons). Modern cars are also equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). But beware: Passive systems, which do not display the pressure itself but only warn of pressure loss, sometimes fail to detect even, gradual pressure loss all round. Only active systems, which display the current pressure, can sometimes replace a manual pressure check - but even these values can be inaccurate or simply overlooked in everyday use. Incidentally, experts recommend checking the air pressure every two weeks - simply because every tire loses a little air over time. Especially when temperatures fluctuate greatly, it is worth taking an extra look every now and then, as the outside temperature also causes the pressure to fall or rise.

Not everything works at home
The air pressure is right? Good. But that's not the end of the story. Because wheel fitting also determines how safe you are on the road. And when it comes to seasonal wheel changes, the question arises: would you rather do it yourself or entrust your car to a garage? A wheel change (i.e. complete wheels with rims) can generally be done by yourself. However, when it comes to fitting new tires on the rim, a visit to the garage is mandatory, as this requires special equipment. Modern technology can also influence the decision. If a TPMS is installed, a professional is also needed to periodically check the sensors in the tires and replace them if necessary.

If you change the wheel yourself, you should concentrate on the essentials: Secure the car (put it in P position or gear, apply the handbrake, ideally use wheel chocks), loosen the bolts before lifting, raise the car with the jack, remove the bolts, change the wheel, tighten the bolts and, after lowering, ideally tighten them crosswise with a torque wrench and the correct torque. Check after 50 kilometers and retighten wheel bolts if necessary. Another point concerns the correct position of the tires. If the tires are worn to different degrees, the better ones should be at the rear. This ensures greater stability, especially in the wet.

Store in a cool, dry, dark place
What happens afterwards is just as important. Tires should be cleaned before storage and checked for damage, cracks or insufficient tread depth. If the tread is too worn or the tire is already several years old, it is often no longer worth storing it. The following applies to storage: cool, dry and dark. Complete wheels are best stored lying flat or suspended, tires without rims upright. These should then be turned a little every month so that they do not become deformed.

If you don't have the space or want to save yourself the effort, you can store your tires externally. In addition to garages, tire dealers and specialized providers also offer corresponding services, often under the term tire hotel and usually with storage, inspection and, if desired, a change service. By the way, if you are wondering when the best time to change your tires is, you can follow a simple rule of thumb: Winter tires are in demand from E to E - i.e. from October to Easter. However, the temperatures are decisive: winter tires are the better choice at the latest when they fall below seven degrees Celsius.