Why Does My Tire Keep Losing Air, But No Leak Found?

Robert Herrera-COR-Wheels

By Robert Herrera

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Does your tire keep losing air? When they experience their vehicles, especially brands of cars. There are many possible reasons for this situation that no one can ignore if they want to maintain the lifecycle of their vehicles better. This article can provide tips for people to tackle this issue.

Why Does My Tire Keep Losing Air?

Any tire can have stronger leaks from some components compared to the first usage time due to gradual osmosis (particularly 1 to 3 months). The number of air leaks will increase significantly when the vehicles are still under one of the four bad conditions below:

Wheel Problems

Common problems strongly impact the car wheel quality, including poor valve stems, corroded wheels, damaged wheels, and incorrect wheel weights. People need to get more information to detect the signs of these situations and fix them immediately. This can help to restrict the tire from losing air effectively

Exposure to lots of chemicals on the road makes the valve core deteriorate and leak a lot of air. The users should take a replacement for new wheel rims in case their cars have traveled for one to three months. The tire leaking air problem normally occurs during this time frame, and only a few people care about this sign. 

Wheel damage is also caused by serious corrosion and hitting a road hazard, expressed through the exchange in shape or quality of the wheel’s internal outlets. 

Continuous Temperature Fluctuations

A flat tire loses approximately 2% of the air with every 10°F drop in temperature. This can force light passenger cars to gain or lose about 1 psi, and even 2 psi for pickups and buses. These changes in air pressure can be attributed to the amount of air kept heated or cooled continuously in a short time under the effects of nature or height.

Table explaining the variation of tire pressure with temperature fluctuations

People living in regions with a remarkable difference between day and night temperatures (above 20 °F) need to take reasonable measures to protect the tires of cars. Don’t rush to add pressure to the tire’s total at the beginning of operating the cars; people should keep that status, and the inflation will return quickly. 

Tire Damage

The tire lifespan is determined by a lot of internal and external elements, comprising:

  • Bead damages: The users usually come across bead chunking (a tiny mistake between the rim and the tire), which is one of the main reasons for slow leaks in tires with no nails. This is also created by connecting the sealing surface with the metal and rubber. 
  • Nails: A nail may accidentally lie in the tire and lead to seemingly insignificant air loss. However, people should have tire technicians check the total tires to make an urgent repair if their cars have underinflated tires.
  • Hazardous roads: The tire easily gets an air leak when driven on a large pothole without adapting any safety measures for tire sidewalks. This indicates that people must not ignore any cuts, punctures, or sidewall bulges, which can damage the entire tire with tiny holes. 

Other Reasons Causing Tire Leaking Air

The tire keeps losing air because of the poor quality of the seal attached to the wheel, which lets air escape without having any technical support effectively. Moreover, a lack of periodic checks for the situation of the vehicles is also considered one of the mainstream factors injuring the lifecycle of tires in a long time.

How To Detect The Problem Of Tire Losing Air When Filling

Detect The Problem Of Tire Losing Air When Filling

There are three popular ways to detect tires under damage: soapy water, sound/feel, and a wheel in water. People can apply these measures on their own or take references from professional teams to seek exact mistakes stuck in their vehicles. 

Using Sound And Feel

Many people choose to detect the parts of tires leaking air by getting a feeling or hearing a hissing sound. Distinctive hissing sounds from the hole of tires will get louder when the drivers get nearby. Touch the tire in the right position and feel whether there’s air loss occurring. If everyone can catch the feeling of the extreme heat, that place can be damaged or under the leak.

Using Soapy Water

People should mix water with any soap (normally 20%) into a spray, which is served to spray the total system of the tire and its edge. Use the mixture to cover the valve stem and the outside & inside parts of the rim. The outstanding sign of this experiment is the appearance of bubbles in the place with an air leak.  Please wait 5 minutes to check the position where the tire loses air.  

Putting A Wheel In Water

Many technicians remove all parts of the wheel and put them into the water to check the quality of the tires. The place with an air leak will release many bubbles when exposed directly to water. 

What Can We Do To Fix The Tire Losing Air When No Leak Is Found?

Fixing, repairing, and restoring vehicles’ tire systems are highly recommended for strengthening the quality of the entire structure of operating the vehicles. People can flexibly apply some instructions below to restrict the problem that a tire loses pressure but doesn’t go flat immediately.

Fixing Vehicles’ Tires

The drivers should take the tires to a garage or tire shop to get the vehicles’ tires checked and fixed. However, everyone can apply two repair methods at home, including:

  • Utilizing a plug kit: There are rubber cement, plug tools, and remaining tools in a standard plug kit. People can prepare a plug wrench or a special jack to be more comfortable when repairing vehicle tires. The users first use a reaming tool to clean the hole and fit it with the plug after eliminating the nail. They then have the plug attached to the plug tool and cover it with rubber cement. Finally, use one plug remaining on the surface and pump the tire up immediately.
  • Utilizing a sealant: Insert the nose of a sealant into the puncture or the valve having an air leak. Ensure that the sealant is adjusted to pour right on the inside surface of the tires and keep it until the people use a standard bottle. This will create one protective layer for the total tires, then shape a rubber-like plug and help to repair the tire better.

See more: How Long Does A Tire Plug Last?

Repairing The Value System Of Vehicles

Repairing The Value System Of Vehicles

People must wear protective glasses before fixing the valve system because the old debris and core can hit themselves. Start by removing the valve core with a special removal tool, then activate it counterclockwise.

If there are any corrosion signs, please only put a new core in the right place after clearing the old one.  Note to screw this process and let the tire pump up as much as possible. This can ensure the process of repairing the bad valve stem is happening effectively. 

Restoring Or Repairing The Rim

People should not hammer aluminum alloy wheels because they can be at risk of being broken if not careful. Aluminum is considered quite a brittle thing, meaning that it should be used to fix some problems regarding valve rims. Everyone can start restoring the rim as soon as they have prepared enough tools, including sanding tools, wax, and aluminum metallic polish. 

Replace a new rim for the vehicles

There is no difference compared to the other fixing methods; therefore, the users must clear the wheels to check for mistakes. Then degrease the wheel, and remove all the paints detected by a sander running at a low speed. Let it dry and cover the whole parts with wax at the appropriate time. 

People can depend on the kinds of wheel to modify the fixing process reasonably and save costs. Remember to wear protective equipment like glasses and gloves to protect yourself in the best way.

How To Use And Maintain The Quality Of Tires The Best? 

Not only do fixing practices immediately for faults in the tires, but people also know some approaches to maintain the quality of tires during use. Below are some tips for this issue:

Maintaining The Balance Of Inflation

  • Check the tire air pressure weekly at auto repair services or homes, which can detect problems relating to tires earlier. 
  • It is compulsory to check the valve core regularly when the weather is under a low temperature with high humidity to restrict degradation in the shape of the quality of tires. This is especially important when people live in areas having a high difference between night and day. Let the car run under the sun within 15 minutes and begin to remove 2PSI to take an exact inflation rate calculation. 
  • Some auto service centers apply a calibrated pressure gauge, and the users need to read carefully before using this tool. In some situations, this method can severely impact vehicles if they do not follow the right instruction information from manufacturers. A gauge can show about minus or surplus 3 PSI, leading to many changes for passengers using light cars or trucks. Check the three technical pieces of information, including digital, stick, and dial, to improve the matching ability.

Searching Instruction And Recommended Air Pressure Information

People should read the relevant information on the brand’s website to catch both the maximum load and the inflation rate manufacturers recommend for this product. The pressure on tires should remain at the same level regulated for each line of vehicles, and people can seek codes on the tire’s sidewall.

See more: Is 40 Psi Good Tire Pressure For Driving?

Following Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The monitoring system for tire pressure is required mandatorily for each product line created since 2007. This supports people in monitoring the amount of air leaked and how to adapt these problems from the valve system. If the pressure goes under 25% compared to the standard, the users need to fix the wheel or tires immediately. 

FAQs 

Why Is Tire Pressure Important For The Vehicles? 

There are four main reasons making tire pressure has a strong impact on vehicles:

  • 75% of problems relating to roadside flat tires occur due to negligence of the situation of tire pressure or leaving a tire leaking air a lot
  • Tire pressure ensures carrying capacity during moving on the road. Maintaining proper tire pressure allows the user to lengthen the future lifecycle of tires and vehicles. 
  • Cut down on the amount of fuel consumed by ensuring the level of tire pressure at the best rate. 

Does The Tire Lose Air Overnight?

Definitely yes. The tire tends to lose a lot of PSI at night due to a significant drop in temperature. However, the status of tires can return in the morning or under direct sunlight.

Can A Tire Lose Pressure Without A Puncture?

Continuous changes in the temperature occur, or attaching a nail outside the sidewall can make the tires catch the air leak without owning a puncture. This requires the users to note and care more about their cars after each use.

Is It Safe When Driving With Slow Leak In Tire?

Driving with a slow leak in the tire can put people in potential danger when moving on the road everywhere. This sign can lead to a flat tire and enforce total system malfunctions. 

How Can Users Seek A Slow Leak In Their Tire?

People can seek slow leaks by using sound or feel, soapy water, or putting a wheel into water. They can do these measures on their own or have technicians adapt them. 

Why Does The New Tire Keep Losing Air A Lot?

Four common factors that keep new tires from losing air are temperature fluctuations, mountain issues, valve damages, and especially improper seal installation.

Why Do The Tires Lose A Lot Of Air Under Cold Weather?

Cooler air is denser than warmer air, making the tires lose 1-2 PSI of pressure for each 10-degree temperature drop. That’s why tires leak a lot of air under cold weather. 

Conclusion

All questions relating to the topic “the reasons my tire keeps losing air” have been explained clearly in the article above. People can search for more information about instruction tips, how to choose new car tires or the cost of fixing an air leak on the website or product. 

Please contact the professional staff if you are confused about this problem.

See more: How to let air out of tire?


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Robert Herrera

President & Automotive Expert at COR Wheels

Robert Herrera has been with COR Wheels for 17 years and has a great passion for the automotive industry. During his time at COR Wheels, he has driven and test-driven a variety of vehicles.


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