Effects of Boise, Idaho Altitude on Your Vehicle

September 21st, 2018 by

Boise River

No matter which vehicle you drive, it’s important to be aware of the impacts of driving in higher altitudes – such as those you’d find in Boise, ID. Learn about how higher elevations affect your vehicle here at Dennis Dillon Chrysler Jeep, a Boise-area Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram dealer.

Effects of Boise, ID Altitude on Fuel System

Sure, living in Boise isn’t living in the Himalayas, but the altitude can still affect your fuel system. For one, your vehicle’s engine won’t need as much octane to run optimally. Perhaps that’s why you’ll often find fuel sold with lower octane around Twin Falls. If you use this kind of low octane fuel and then find yourself back closer to sea level, you may find that your check engine light will come on. That’s because your engine is asking for more octane.

Effects of Boise, ID Altitude on Your Car’s Tires

One of the clearest impacts of driving your car at high elevations is that your tire pressure lowers. That’s because the change in pressure is caused by thinner air and colder temperatures. Driving around Meridian with lower tire pressure can have negative impacts, such as:

  • Poor handling
  • Decreased tire life
  • Uneven tread wear
  • Tire failure

Effects of Boise, ID Altitude on Your Car’s Engine

Vehicles use oxygen to feed the combustion engine, but when you’re at higher altitudes there’s less oxygen in the air. For every 1,000 feet you climb, your vehicle loses around 3% of its power. Boise sits at around 2,730′, so you can look for a decrease in performance of about 8-9% compared to sea level performance.
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Off-Roading

Get Professional Car Service at Dennis Dillon Chrysler Jeep

Keep your vehicle running in optimal condition in Boise, ID with help from the certified Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram technicians at Dennis Dillon Chrysler Jeep, serving drivers in Boise and beyond. Check out our current list of service specials, and feel free to contact us with questions! Also, be sure to follow us for more tips on car maintenance, such as how to put together a car emergency kit.

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