What should you do with your tires when carrying a passenger?

What should you do with your tires when carrying a passenger?

• A. Check tire wall/manual for correct pressures
• B. Inflate to maximum pressure
• C. Use car tire pressures
• D. Ignore changes

Answer: (A)

Carrying a passenger adds weight to the vehicle, which changes the load on each tire and how it should be inflated for safe handling and braking. The correct step is to check the recommended cold inflation pressures for the current load in the vehicle’s door placard and the owner’s manual (or tire wall/sidewall guidance) and set the tires to that pressure. This ensures the tires operate at the pressure the manufacturer designed for with extra weight, giving proper grip and wear characteristics. Do not inflate to the tire’s maximum pressure, as that rating is the highest the tire can handle, not the normal operating pressure for loaded driving. Also, check all tires, including the spare, when the tires are cold to get an accurate reading.

Carrying a passenger adds weight to the vehicle, which changes the load on each tire and how it should be inflated for safe handling and braking. The correct step is to check the recommended cold inflation pressures for the current load in the vehicle’s door placard and the owner’s manual (or tire wall/sidewall guidance) and set the tires to that pressure. This ensures the tires operate at the pressure the manufacturer designed for with extra weight, giving proper grip and wear characteristics. Do not inflate to the tire’s maximum pressure, as that rating is the highest the tire can handle, not the normal operating pressure for loaded driving. Also, check all tires, including the spare, when the tires are cold to get an accurate reading.