How to Check Your Tire Pressure: A Simple Guide for Every Driver
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Each vehicle and tire has a recommended tire pressure. Making sure your tire pressure is at the recommended levels can keep your car safe and extend the life of your tires.
Learn how to check tire pressure and how to adjust tire pressure if needed. Also get tips on maintaining your tires and find car insurance coverage that might help with repairs.
Why Proper Tire Pressure Matters
Maintaining the recommended pressure in your tires is helpful for a few reasons.
First, it helps you drive more safely. With properly inflated tires, you’re better equipped to handle dangerous driving conditions and avoid collisions. Your tires are more likely to stay intact and improve your braking, steering, and handling capabilities.
Proper tire pressure also helps you save money. Your vehicle will get better fuel mileage. And your tires will last longer because they'll wear more evenly.
Finally, tire pressure can affect your car’s general mechanics. Properly inflated tires improve alignment, traction, and performance during driving maneuvers such as cornering.
Tools You’ll Need To Check Tire Pressure
The primary tool used to check your air pressure is a tire pressure gauge. It hooks up to the valve stem on your tire to easily check the tire pressure. There are three types of gauges:
- Stick gauges – Stick gauges look similar to a pencil or pen. They are often affordable and easy to use.
- Digital gauges – Digital gauges are easy to read with an electronic display, sometimes lit. They may hold up better to regular wear and tear, but they require batteries.
- Dial gauges – Dial gauges have an analog display with a needle. They may also come with other accessories to make checking your tire pressure easier. But they can be bigger than other gauges and cost more.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Check Tire Pressure
Once you get your hands on a tire pressure gauge, you’re ready to perform your first tire pressure check.
Start by finding the recommended tire pressure (in PSI, or pounds per square inch) for your vehicle. This might be listed on your car’s door jamb or owner’s manual. Make sure that your car has been parked for at least a few hours before checking the tire pressure.
Remove the valve cap, which twists off the valve stem on your tire. Press the pressure gauge onto the valve stem. Your tire pressure gauge will display the tire pressure. After reading the pressure, remove the gauge and replace the valve cap.
Make sure to check all the tires on your vehicle about once a month.
How To Adjust Tire Pressure
If your tire pressure is too low, you’ll need an air compressor to add more air to your tires.
Connect the air hose on the compressor to the valve stem on your tire. Some models allow you to set the recommended tire pressure. If you can do this, the air compressor will stop automatically once it reaches the set PSI. Otherwise, you can stop it periodically and recheck the tire pressure.
If your tire pressure is too high, you can simply press down on the valve stem to release some of the air.
Common Issues With Tire Pressure
Two of the most common issues with tire pressure are underinflated tires and overinflated tires.
Underinflated tires might be caused by slow leaks or damage to the valve stem. Cold weather and regular wear may also cause low tire pressure. Driving with underinflated tires can reduce your car’s fuel economy and create a higher risk of tire blowouts.
Overinflated tires reduce contact between your tires and the road. This causes decreased traction and more wear in the center of your tire. The tire will be too stiff, which makes the car harder to handle.
Another common issue occurs with tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors. Some are faulty, so they don’t report low tire pressure accurately. In addition, they need to be replaced periodically to keep them functional.
Tips To Extend Tire Life With Regular Pressure Checks
You should check your tire pressure at least once a month. If you drive frequently, consider checking more often. This helps maintain your tire pressure at the proper PSI and improve your fuel efficiency, safety, and handling.
When you check your tire pressure, also inspect the tires for cracks, bulges, punctures, or excessive wear. Uneven tread wear might indicate the need for an alignment or tire rotation. Front tires may need to be rotated more often than rear tires because they turn and carry more weight.
When To Seek Professional Help
Going to a tire professional may not be necessary if you have a tire pressure gauge at home. However, if you’re wondering how to check your tire pressure without a gauge, a professional can assist. Many mechanic shops will check your tire pressure and condition for free with routine maintenance.
If you see consistent issues with your tire pressure, a professional can help you diagnose the problem and fix it. They may have more accurate tire pressure gauges and other tools to help.
Ensure Your Vehicle’s Safety With Reliable Car Insurance
Add insurance for car repairs, such as mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), to your policy for help with some emergency maintenance. Use EverQuote’s free online quote comparison tool to compare rates from multiple providers in one place. Get started by entering your ZIP code now.