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Tires are one of the many factors affecting the fuel economy of your vehicle. Tires are a far more important than you might think for saving a few dollars on the fuel bill. If a tire is under-inflated, unbalanced or the wrong size or type for the vehicle then it will definitely affect the miles per gallon/liter.

Tires that aren't inflated to at least the manufactures recommended tire pressure are creating more drag on the car because more of the tires surface is in contact with the road. This means the engine needs to work harder to propel the car down the road at the desired speed. Thus using more fuel.

Also it is important to note that ALL the tires on the car should be at the same tire pressure because this can cause more potentially serious problems than just increase fuel consumption.
If one tire on one side of the car is over-inflated and the other is under-inflated then the over-inflated tire will be turning at a slightly slower speed than the other tire because of its greater circumference. This can affect the handling and be potentially dangerous especially in adverse weather conditions because the traction or road holding ability of the car will be affected. Leading to an accident in the worst case scenario or just affect not only fuel but also the differential in the axle of the car. The two different tire pressures place mechanicals of the car under strain and eventually cause them to wear out and require repair.

The best policy is to keep a regular watchful eye on your tires so that you will notice anything amiss with them before its too late. Or so that it doesn't cost you more in fuel.
Also remembering that different tire sizes and types will affect the car in different ways. Things like the width of a tire. More width in the tires means more traction and road feel but more fuel consumption.

In the case of SUV's where many different kinds of tread on the tires can be applied, one should consider the use of their SUV. For example if they only drive in town or on the highway then heavy lugged off-road tires will not be needed nor will they be practical. They only increase fuel consumption on the road compared to a road tire. Also they wear down quickly with a lot of highway use. There are many different variations in tires for SUV's. So you need to pick the tire most appropriate for the use of your vehicle.

Learn more about this author, Andrew Macleod.
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