Your tyres need air in them, sure, but how much air? Maybe one has a slow leak? Maybe you’re imagining it? How do I check my tyre pressure?
If you know how to check and top up your tyre pressures then you won’t have to ask yourself these questions.
It’s really easy to do, and it keeps you driving safe and can alert you to issues before they become issues. Believe it or not, tyre pressures can also save you some money in fuel.
You can generally check your tyre pressures at fuel stations that have air compressors on site.
When you next go to top up, look for the air compressor stations who have long hoses. Typically they’re near the car wash areas. What you do is, drive up alongside the compressor station and park you car. Get the hose and carry the nozzle up to the tyre and unscrew the valve cap and push the nozzle onto the valve. The machine will then read out your tyres’ current pressure. Then you can add more air or subtract air.
I now know my tyre pressure but how do I know if it’s too high or too low?
If you look inside your front doors, on the door jam there is often a stamped plate that tells you the psi that your tyre should be under certain loads. If you can’t find one of those, don’t fret. Your owners manual will (99% of the time) have a chart with the different tyres and the different pressures for each one.
If all of that fails, go with a range of between 30 – 34 PSI and ring your mechanic or the manufacturer of the tyre and ask them – they’re usually pretty knowledgeable.
How does PSI save me money?
Having the correct tyre pressures in your tyres reduces rotational drag and allows the tyre to conform to the shape and speeds that it was designed for. This gives you better grip, less drag and as a result, better fuel economy. You can save money, just by knowing how to check your tyre pressure.
It not only makes you safer, it saves you money too! Aren’t cars neat!