Air pressure, a very banal story. And probably that's probably why hardly anyone cares about his air pressure. But the correct air pressure in the tire is a basis for three areas: safety, comfort, efficiency. So taking care of the correct air pressure at least every 14 days is not a stupid idea! For our long-term test SUV, I took the trouble to “experience” different air pressures. Because the bigger and more complex a car, the more exciting are the results that can be achieved with different air pressures. The air pressure within an axis must always be the same.
Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid - the right air pressure counts!
Who wonders what the Air pressure for a roll plays, for now there is a short excursion. For a tire to roll evenly on the road surface, the tire must work with the right air pressure. Only in this way is the tread optimized by the tire manufacturer completely on the road and able to transfer the necessary adhesion. A false air pressure also damages the wear of the tire. That also the shock absorbers play a role for the tire and its life, we want to ignore here and focus only on the air pressure. The tire manufacturer DUNLOP created this graphic:
What is the right air pressure?
Basically, a manufacturer gives an air pressure recommendation for his car. This information can be found either in the logbook or in the fuel filler flap. In addition, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has a sticker with the pressure data in bar and psi on the driver's side B-pillar in the direction of the sill. You can not overlook this badge in principle when you open the driver's door.
Depending on the weight distribution of the vehicle and tire sizes, the appropriate tire air pressures are set. The Outlander PHEV should be driven around with 2.4 bar. In principle, this recommendation corresponds to the diagram above, very left. But before the air pressure is too low, or too high, there are fine intermediate steps that can have an effect on comfort, or consumption.
[=” ” ]Principle: A downward deviating air pressure drives more comfortably to spongy, an upward deviating air pressure lowers the fuel consumption, but reduces the ride comfort.2.4 Bar is recommended for Mitsubishi for the Outlander PHEV, as long as you do not drive faster than 160 km / h. Over 160 km / h we recommend 2.6 bar. Since the Outlander PHEV is rarely used as a expressway expressway, the 2.4 bar is the sensible recommendation for everyday use. But there is a direction at the same time.
[=” ” ]Important: Tire pressure is always measured on the cold tire!The Outlander PHEV from model year 2016 has received a noticeably revised attenuation. He rolls off more sensitive. This is a good basis to raise the air pressure a little, without getting a wooden ride feeling.
I don't think it makes much sense to lower the air pressure below 2.4 bar. No real gain in comfort could be determined in tests with 2.2 bar. For a steering that loses precision. 2.5 bar brought no loss of comfort - but also no noticeable change.
As soon as the tire air pressure develops in the direction of “too high”, the tire's rolling resistance drops. This is a narrow path on which you move, because especially when the weather conditions are not ideal you want full grip between the tires and the road. At 2.6 bar - the air pressure that Mitsubishi recommends for “high speed” - the rolling behavior of the mounted tires was still good. Because that also plays an important role in “finding” the right air pressure. Not every tire reacts in the same way to changes in air pressure, not every tire dampens and rolls off the same.
Air pressure recommendation for the Outlander PHEV
We drive the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid in everyday life (summer tires) with 2.6 bar, all around. The slightly increased air pressure optimizes the rolling resistance, at the same time the rolling behavior and ride comfort is not impaired.
Please check the air pressure on your car every 2 weeks and check your tires once a month for damage.
