How to Check Tire Pressure

Steps to Checking Your Tire Pressure

Checking your tire’s air pressure doesn’t need to be a time-consuming process. Here are four simple steps to checking tire pressure:

1. Tire Cool Down. Proper tire inflation should be checked when the tires haven't been driven on for several hours and have had time to cool down.
2. Vehicle Manufacturer's Recommended Tire Pressure. Check manufacturer's recommended tire pressure on the door placard.
3. Check Tire Pressure. Check tire pressure with an accurate tire pressure gauge.
4. Inflate to Recommended PSI. Fill to each tire with air to the recommended PSI.

When to Check Tire Pressure

It‘s recommended that you check your tire's air pressure on a regular and consistent basis and with reliable equipment. Simply put, set a reminder to check the pressure once a month, say, on the first of every month, while using the same tire pressure gauge. This will help in the accuracy of the monthly readings coming from the same device.

Additional tips on when to check the pressure in your tires:

1. Every 3,000 mi./4,500 km to keep your vehicle driving smoothly and evenly, and therefore using gas more efficiently
2. If you don’t use your car frequently, try checking your tire pressure every month
3. Before any long trips
4. During temperature shifts of 10 degrees or more

What Does it Mean When Your TPMS Light Turns On?

A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light in your dashboard comes on when your tire pressure becomes too low or too high. When this happens, you should pull over and gauge all your tires to determine which tires are improperly inflated. Add or remove air accordingly until your tire has reached the manufacturer’s recommended level. If the problem repeats itself, contact a service professional. To learn more on the importance of a vehicle’s tire pressure monitoring system read our article Understanding Your TPMS Sensor.