How to Check Air Pressure in Tires

Routine maintenance on your vehicle is a necessity if you hope to have trouble-free operation. Checking the tire pressure and making sure that the pressure is correct can also extend the life of your tires. Most tires dealers will check and set the initial pressure when you purchase new tires, but that pressure will change over time based on a number of factors.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Make it a habit to check your tire pressure at some given time every week. Finding a time when you will be able to check the tire pressure as a matter of routine is one of the keys not to forget. When you drive on tires that are under inflated or over inflated, the wear on your tires is uneven and they will need to be replaced much sooner than normal. Not only that, but the response of the tires will be less than optimal and creates a hazardous situation.

2. Take your tire pressure gauge and find the valve stem on the tire. Unscrew the cover that is on the valve stem and orient the pressure gauge so that it fits onto the top of the valve stem. Press in firmly and hold it to read the pounds of pressure per square inch. Compare this value to the manufacturer's or tire manufacturer's specification. If the tire pressure is low or high, adjust the pressure with either a pressure hose to fill it up or let off a bit of pressure with the backside of the pressure gauge.

3. Check the writing on the side of the tire. If you don't have the owner's manual and need a rough estimate of the pressure for the tires, the maximum PSI can be found on the tire around the rim. Be aware that the pressure will vary between a cold day in winter and a hot day in the summer. The weight load may visually make the tires appear to be low but it is only due to the extra weight.