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Okay, so you inflated your tires and you’re driving at a normal speed, but it seems your car is vibrating, and thus, you want to know if overinflated tires can cause vibration? Can over inflated tires cause vibration?
The simple answer is yes, overinflated tires can lead to vibration when driving. Actually, there are quite a lot of reasons why your car would vibrate while you’re driving.
These problems are usually connected to unbalanced tires, a faulty braking system, poor wheel alignment, and even the engine.
Some people prefer to overinflate their tires instead of not adding enough air, but then, this is not really advisable.
What You Should Know About Overinflated Tires

Overinflated tires are like a bouncing ball; this can imply that some parts of your tires may not always the road as you drive at top speeds because the tire(s) would be bouncing on the road.
Actually, tires do heat up and even expand under normal driving conditions.
Now, aggressive stop-and-go driving, especially on hot days, can further increase air pressure in an overinflated tire, which can trigger a blowout or serious vibrations as you drive.
It is crucial that you monitor your tires’ air pressure to avoid facing a serious problem while driving throughout the day. So, can over inflated tires cause vibration?
Can Over Inflated Tires Cause Vibration?
Yes, when you pump excess air into your tires, it kind of makes them unbalanced, which can make the car vibrate as you’re driving.
More so, you should know that high pressure in tires reduce comfort ride because tires are quite too rigid. When you inflate your tires more than maximum, you’re actually calling for trouble.
Firstly, overinflation makes the tires less flexible, and due to this loss of flexibility, chances are that the tires would fail (blow out or tear apart), especially when you hit a pothole or other driving hazards like road shocks or sharp-edged pavements.
The truth here is, an overinflated tire is more like a balloon; you already know how soft a balloon is, and how it could blow off at any slight touch of a sharp object. More so, overinflated tires are liable to wear in the center.
Generally, overinflating your tires is not recommended; it poses more harm than good. However, underinflating your tires is not also advisable.
You just have to stick to the right pressure recommended by your car maker. You will find the recommended tire pressure in your car manual.
What Happens When I Drive With Overinflated Tires?

One of the things that are prone to happen when you overinflate your tires is blowing out. Overinflated tires are most likely to blow out when air pressure increases.
Asides from blowing out, overinflating your tires makes them unbalanced and thus, you will notice that your car vibrates at certain speeds or even when you apply the brakes.
Apparently, you should know that overinflated tires are weak, and can be easily punctured by the little debris and objects that may be on the roads.
Furthermore, overinflated tires can cause accidents because the tires may be unbalanced.
But then, vibration isn’t caused by overinflated tires only; there are many other things that can cause a car to vibrate or shake; these possible causes include:
- Broken brake calipers or brake pads
- Faulty steering
- Bad or damaged spark plugs
- Bent axle
- Poor wheel alignment
Hence, when your car vibrates, check your tire pressures, and if your tires seem okay, check out the other parts mentioned above.
Look out for leaks beneath the engine bay; this is to check if your power steering fluid is leaking away.
It may be difficult to easily take a look at the axle to confirm if it’s bent or not in good shape – you may need a mechanic to help with that. You shouldn’t keep driving when your car vibrates, that could cause costlier damages.
Read Also:
- Will Over Inflated Tires Cause Road Noise?
- Car Shakes When Driving Over 70 mph
- Will Worn Tires Cause Steering Wheel Vibration?
Conclusion
So, can over inflated tires cause vibration? Yes, they can cause vibration. Apparently, we have explained how excessive air can affect your car tires’ performance, and why it is not advisable to drive with overinflated tires.
However, the main point here is that you have to stick with the recommended tire air pressure identified in your car manual.
If you notice an unusual sign when driving, ensure to check out the cause; most times, fatal engine damage is caused by little damages that were overlooked.