Tires Keep Losing Air pressure: The Causes and Fixes

If you’re experiencing a problem with your tires where they keep losing air pressure, you are not alone. This is actually a fairly common issue, and there are several possible causes.

In this article, we will discuss the most likely causes of this problem and what you can do to fix it.

Reasons why tires might lose air pressure:

• A hole or puncture in the tire

• Damage to the tire sidewall

• A loose or damaged tire valve stem

• Poor seal between the tire and the wheel

• Damaged or corroded wheel

• A previous tire repair that is faulty

How to fix tires that keep losing air pressure:

Spotting visible tire damage

The most common reason for tires to keep losing air pressure is physical damage. The easiest way to have a tire repaired is to inspect your tire for any obvious sign of damage. This includes a nail in the tire, visible damage to the sidewall, and any other abnormal aspects including cords showing on your tire or tire bubbles.

If you spot any of these visible signs, we would strongly recommend not driving the vehicle any further until you are able to change the wheel. This is because any of these visible tire issue present a serious safety hazard and are likely to result in further damage to your vehicle or even a tire blowout.

Check out our guide here on how to change your wheel for your spare wheel.

If you are not able to spot any visible damage, the next step is to check your tires for a slow leak.

If you cannot find any visible tire damage

After checking for these signs, if you are unable to spot any of these, we recommend taking your tire to your local shop. Slow leaks are virtually impossible to spot and the only way will be to remove the wheel and submerge it in water.

Doing this will expose where any slow leaks are coming from as air bubbles will begin to form on the section of the tire that air is escaping.

Even though this step is something that you are able to do yourself, the repair is something that only a shop will be able to assist with. If the slow leak becomes more serious and the tire no longer holds air for more than a few hours, we would recommend replacing the wheel with your spare wheel and then taking the faulty wheel to the shop.

How to repair a slow leak

Once you are able to identify the reason your tire keeps losing air pressure, the method to repair the tire will vary depending on the cause.

Nail or puncture in the tire

Tire punctures are very common and are a normal part of driving. These are mostly repairable by plugging the tire with a tire repair kit. Once complete, the tire will be safe to drive on for the remainder of the life of the tire.

The kit contains all the materials you need as well as instructions on how to properly fix the puncture. This will prevent your tire from losing air pressure.

It is important to remember that if your tire has been punctured, it is more susceptible to future punctures in the same spot. This is due to the fact that when a nail or object pierces the tire, it weakens that area of the tire. For this reason, we recommend getting your tires checked frequently and repaired as soon as possible to avoid any serious issues.

Tire sidewall damage

This type of damage is not repairable and will require the tire to be replaced. This is due to the fact that the sidewall is what provides the structure and support for the tire. Once it has been damaged, it cannot be repaired and as it will no longer perform its function properly and is a safety hazard.

Tire valve stem damage

The valve stem is what allows air to enter and exit the tire. If this becomes damaged, it will need to be replaced in order to maintain proper tire pressure. This is especially common on passenger vehicles where the most common cause is improper use of a tire inflator.

Luckily, this is an easy and inexpensive to fix which your local tire shop will be able to perform for you.

Poor seal between the tire and the wheel

If after submerging the wheel and tire under water, air bubbles begin to rise from the seal around the rim of the wheel, the cause is likely to be an improper seal between the tire and the wheel.

When new tires are put on to wheels, a glue is applied to the inside of the tire and the rim to ensure an air tight seal. If this glue is improperly applied or there are spots that are not covered with glue, this can lead to air escaping at these points in the tire.

If this is the case, the tire will need to be removed and the correct glue applied. Fortunately, this is also an easy job your local tire shop will be able to assist with.

Wheel damage

Old vehicles are particularly susceptible to damaged or corroded wheels. This will mean it will be unable or less efficient at generating a perfect seal with the tire and air may be able to escape around the rims.

Most damaged wheels will need to be replaced in order to maintain a reliable seal with the tire and prevent any air from leaking out.

Previous faulty tire repair

If a tire has had a repair in the past, it is possible that this may not have been completed successfully and over time the repair may begin to allow air to escape and lead your tire to keep losing air pressure.

If this is the case, the tire will need to be taken to a shop where they will be able to assess the repair and determine whether it needs to be redone.

Incorrect tire pressure

If your tires are consistently losing pressure, it is possible that the correct tire pressure has not been set for your vehicle. Every vehicle has a different recommended tire pressure depending on the make, model and year. This information can be found in your vehicle’s manual or online.

Once you have determined the correct air pressure, use a tire pressure gauge to check and adjust your tires as needed.

Summary

There are several reasons why your tires might keep losing pressure. The most common causes are listed above along with their respective fixes. Remember to check your tires regularly and take them in for repairs as soon as you notice any issues to avoid further damage or safety hazards.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask your local tire shop for assistance.

We hope you enjoyed this article and found it informative. If you have any questions then please leave a comment below or get in touch via email or through social media and we will read and respond to every comment, email or question. Thanks for reading!