How to Check Your Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). The recommended tire pressure or psi specified by your vehicle's manufacturer or on the tire itself is there to ensure that you get optimum performance every time you drive. This includes optimum tire wear and comfort.

Granted, underinflating your tires to make them softer can result in a smoother ride and a larger contact patch (area) with the road surface. But not without some tradeoffs.

When an underinflated tire (even by as little as 6 psi) hits a pothole, it increases the possibility of damaging it. With decreased tire pressure, the center of the tire's tread bows in slightly, causing the tire to ride on its outer edges. The result is excessive wear on the tire's inner and outer shoulders. In addition, the softer sidewall of an underinflated tire can exaggerate the sway your vehicle experiences when cornering, and may cause a top-heavy vehicle to roll over.

Tip: Make it a habit to check your tire pressure once a month.

Ultimately, low tire pressure can shorten the lifespan of your tires. Having the correct pressure in car tires also helps you get good gas mileage. To understand the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle, review the tag on the inside of the door.

Here are 6 steps to follow when checking the tire pressure:

1. Remove the cap from the air valve on the tire, and put it somewhere you won't lose it.
2. Press the tire gauge against the open valve stem for a second or two. It's normal to hear a hiss of air.
3. Read the air pressure gauge. For manual gauges, a dial points to the pressure or a bar indicates the pressure by how far it was pushed out. The pressure will appear on the screen of a digital tire gauge.
4. Compare this number with the recommended tire pressure.
5. Replace the tire's air valve cap. (Hold off on this step if you need to adjust the air pressure.)
6. Repeat this process for each tire.

• Position your car next to the air pump so that the air hose will reach all four tires.
• Unscrew the valve stem cap of the first tire and put it where it won't get lost—like in your pocket.
• Use your tire pressure gauge to check the psi of the tire.
• Place the air hose nozzle over the valve stem as you did with the tire gauge and add air in short bursts until you reach your vehicle's recommended tire pressure. Follow the tire pressure chart affixed to your vehicle's inside doorpost or inside the glove box. As a rule of thumb, a tire will inflate by one pound per square inch every second and a half. Some vehicles require all four tires inflated to the same psi. Others require a differential between the front and rear.
• Check your tire pressure with your gauge to make sure it's at the recommended psi. If too low, continue to add air in short bursts and recheck. If you add too much, let out some air by pressing the pin in the center of the tire valve with the back of the air hose nozzle or your tire gauge. Generally, the tire will let out approximately one psi for every three seconds the pin is depressed.
• Replace the cap on the valve stem and move on to the next tire.

Having trouble getting air in your tires or not sure if you've got the right pressure? Just keep checking periodically until you get it right.

Tip: Driving heats up your tires, which increases the psi. It's best to check them in the morning while they are still relatively cold. You can also check them after your car has been sitting for a few hours or driven for just a few miles.

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