A blown out tire is more than just a hassle to deal with, it can also be dangerous. While there are various causes of blown out tires, some are more common than others. As an automotive service technician, you’ll have the skills to get drivers’ cars back up and running after a tire blowout.
It’s important to be aware of the causes of blown tires so that you can excel in your future auto technician career. Here are three of the most common causes of blown tires you’ll likely encounter.
1. Underinflation and Overinflation Can Both Spell Trouble
The importance of maintaining the correct tire pressure cannot be stressed enough, as either underinflating or overinflating tires can lead to them flattening or malfunctioning. If there isn’t enough tire pressure, the tire can sag and overheat because of how much the sidewalls are flexing. In turn, this can weaken the rubber’s bond with the tire’s layers and cause a blowout.
If the tire is overinflated, a blowout is less likely but still possible. Overinflation can cause the tire to ride more harshly and be more susceptible to damage if it hits an object. Since tires can lose up to 1 pound per square inch (psi) per month—and especially since pressure can drop as the temperature drops—it’s important to keep tires inflated to the correct number and to check tire pressure regularly.
2. Hot or Warm Weather Can Also Contribute to Tire Blowouts
Underinflated tires in particular are at risk of overheating when temperatures on the road are high, which increases the risk of the tire blowing out. So, on hot summer days, prepare for cases like these to happen in your automotive career. While warm weather alone won’t cause a blowout, it will exacerbate existing problems with tires. For example, rubber degrades more quickly when the tires’ temperature gets too hot. If the rubber is already stressed from the vehicle being overloaded or the tires being overinflated, then the risk of a blowout increases. In fact, the months between May and October are known as “blowout season” because of how many tires meet their untimely end during this period.
3. You May Also Experience Tires Damaged by Objects in Your Automotive Career
If you’re pursuing auto mechanic careers in Montreal, then you’ll probably end up encountering more than a few cars whose tires have fallen victim to potholes and other hazards. If a driver hits a pothole or a sharp object, the odds of the tire flattening or blowing become much more likely. An encounter with a pothole or sharp object may not cause a tire to blow out immediately, but it can cause a gradual loss of air pressure. Hitting these obstacles can also add stress to tires, which can lead to the sidewalls compressing and cracks forming within them. Eventually, the tire may be so weakened that it takes just one more pothole to make it pop.
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