1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Loosing air pressure

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by clooch, Aug 24, 2008.

  1. clooch

    clooch Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2008
    26
    1
    0
    Location:
    Auburn, Maine USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I have had my prii for a few months. my question is, running at the higher tire pressure 42,40 cause quicker loss? I am new to this higher tire pressure I have been loosing about 5 or so lbs a week in one tire and about 3-4 in others. is this typical for running at these pressures? I am of the old school so using the pressures on the plaque and this kind of drop would say to me slow leak.

    It has been like this from day one, I got home and adjusted the pressure to 42,40. Going on the recommendation of other PC'ers and have been checking them every 2 weeks and found I am loosing the above amounts. :frusty:

    Thanks for any advice
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,192
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Not typical at all. suspect something is wrong, maybe a small puncture? Are you being sure to check the pressure and add air when the tire is cold?
     
  3. ThePackage

    ThePackage New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2006
    74
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Tires (valves & rims as well) don't leak because of the increase in pressure. As E.F. stated look for a leak and besure the measurement is only when the tires are cold and you don't have a problem with your tire gage.
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,074
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Higher pressure will cause larger absolute changes with temperature, but not the leakage you describe.

    Tom
     
  5. topkick

    topkick Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2007
    166
    21
    0
    Location:
    Oklahoma City
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Check your valve stems also. I found that one or two of mine were loose a full turn. You can pick up a tool for that at almost any auto supply. A good way to check for a leak is with a couple drops of water on the stem.
     
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,755
    5,245
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    That is not normal. After 2 weeks (about 800 miles) my tires at 44/42 will only drop 1.0 to 1.5 PSI.

    .
     
  7. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2004
    1,539
    420
    0
    Location:
    Finland
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius Prime
    Model:
    N/A
    LOSING

    :faint:
     
  8. bbald123

    bbald123 Thermodynamics Law Enforcement

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2007
    386
    271
    0
    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I second this. I had exactly the same problem. The car was delivered with loose tire stem cores on all wheels.
     
  9. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2007
    1,340
    26
    0
    Location:
    san jose, ca
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    would using this tool for the valve stems work with tpms?

    glancing at a tpms sensor with stem attached does not seem to me it can be turned
     
  10. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,185
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I third this.
     
  11. clooch

    clooch Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2008
    26
    1
    0
    Location:
    Auburn, Maine USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Sorry I never said I passed English class, (always throwing spitballs :D). anyway thank all of you for the input it gives me more things to look into.
     
  12. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,074
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    You should have said: "...(always loosing spitballs :D)."

    Tom
     
  13. clooch

    clooch Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2008
    26
    1
    0
    Location:
    Auburn, Maine USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    as well as my marbles
     
  14. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2008
    2,224
    139
    0
    Location:
    Midwest
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Loose valve cores are common any time tires are changed. This alone is a good reason to check your tires and always keep one of the little valve stem tools handy.

    The first thing I check any time I discover a tire losing pressure is if the valve core is loose. About half the time that is the problem. Once I had a valve stem that just wouldn't seat properly and leaked around its base--took it back to the shop and they swapped it out for me (for free of course.) I had rusty steel wheels once on an old Chevy that wouldn't seal tightly around the bead. The other times the problem was a puncture somewhere, and this is almost always the culprit with worn tires.

    One other thing, release a little puff of air before you try to turn/tighten the valve core. This matters most when you are unscrewing cores and want to remove debris but it is best to clear any sand/grit out of the way before you tighten as well (even though most of the effect will be on the "wrong side" of the way the threads will be turning to tighten.)

    Old/re-used valve cores sometimes leak a little even when fully tightened. They are either sticky or have grit in them. So if you find it bubbling through the stem core even after tightening it is probably time to replace the stem. It has been decades since I changed tires for money (briefly), but I do recall that sometimes I could stop such leaks by pulling the old core from the stem and inserting a new one in the same stem. (Chronic shortage of parts, time limitations, a poor worn out tire machine, and very dirty/rusty conditions for construction equipment sometimes made this preferable to doing it right with a complete breakdown and new stem and all the associated clean up.)