What does DeflateGate have to do with your tires?

You might have heard about air disappearing from footballs, but it’s no mystery that air does vanish from your tires. All tires tend to leak over time—some models more than others, as we found in a year-long test. We measured an average pressure loss of 3.5 psi for 31 performance all-season models.

Cooler temperatures will also lower pressure in both tires and footballs. Your tire pressure will drop about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F the outside temperature lowers. Overall, you might be driving on significantly underinflated tires if you haven't checked them for months, especially in the winter.

Underinflated tires lower fuel economy and tread life, and they hurt handling. Further, having low air can weaken the tire, increasing the chance of a failure.

Learn more at our complete guide to tires