It is important to monitor your tire pressure. Throughout the year, as temperatures change, tire pressure also changes. Tires with low air pressure have less traction, run hot, and get worse gas mileage. The good news is that checking your tire pressure is relatively easy if you are comfortable using a few tools. If not, you can always bring your car to us, and we’ll check your air pressure for free!
The sticker
If you want or need to do it on your own, most of what you need to know is normally located on a sticker inside your driver-side car door. This sticker will tell you just about everything you need to know about your tires. Here is an example of what the sticker might look like.
If you can’t find the sticker inside your driver’s side door or if it is missing, this information is certainly also located in your user’s manual.
Find your target pressure
The first thing you will need to do is find out your target tire pressure. To find it, the first thing to note is that most target tire pressers assume a cold tire as seen here:
When you drive, your tires can get very hot, which excites the air inside the tires, causing the pressure to increase. If you check air pressure after you drive, you will likely get an inaccurate reading. Instead, check the air pressure in the cool of the morning after your tires have rested.
Check for pressure variation
The next thing to look for is if your front and rear tires have the same target pressures. In this case, they do (33 psi), but not in every case.
Check pressure
To check your tire pressure, you will need to own or purchase an accurate pressure gauge. Put the gauge over your tire’s nozzle and push. Air will rush into the gauge, and you’ll have a reading. Check a few times to make sure you’re getting a consistent reading.
Inflating tires
If you need to add more air, add air in small increments—a few seconds of air at a time, and then re-measure.
Deflating tires
To deflate tires, hold the small pin in the middle of the nozzle down, and air will rush out. Most gauges have a small nob for this exact purpose. But alternatively you can use a small nail, a penny or a pen.
Don’t forget your spare
The rest of the information below this point is regarding the spare:
In this case, the spare pressure is also 33 psi and should also be measured cold.
Weight capacity
The last thing you need to know about this sticker is that it also gives you a load-carrying capacity. In this case, the weight of the occupants and cargo should never exceed 441 KG or 972 LBS.
Lovin’ your tires
Tires are one of the most undervalued parts of your car and one of the most crucial elements of safety. What they do is amazing. Knowing how to access, read and use this sticker will help you take care of your tires. Your sticker might not look just like this one, but it should have much (if not all) of the same information. Good luck, and please come in with any questions!
