When it comes to driving safety, tire pressure is always one of the hottest topics. Why does tire pressure matter? What the heck is that little annoying symbol on my dashboard?
Should I under-inflate my tire during the winter? How often should I check my tire pressure? We got tons of questions like this from our community, so for today, let's dive deep into the world of tire pressure, put our geeky glasses on and figure out everything you need to know about your tires.
The recommended tire pressure varies based on the vehicle makes determined by the manufacturer after thousands of tests and calculations. So make sure you check your tire pressure after a long stay and usually, you can do it in the early morning.
After knowing the proper tire pressure of your vehicle recommended by the manufacturer, you should check your tire pressure regularly to make sure that you are in good shape. You can check your tire pressure in auto part stores, the mechanics, gas stations, and at home.
To check tire pressure at home, you need:. As tire pressure changes with the temperature a lot, and recommended tire pressures are cold inflation pressure , you should start with cold tires if possible. We mostly check the tire pressure after one night's rest to avoid the heat from the friction of the last drive, and before the temperature goes up.
Unscrew the valve cap and press the tire gauge onto the valve stem hard enough until the hissing sound disappears. There should be a reading as long as the gauge is well connected to the tire. Make sure you read in detail, as for some vehicles, front and rear tires have different recommended psi. If you find a tire underinflated, use the air compressor to fill your tires. You can either buy an air compressor in the auto parts store or use one in a gas station.
After filling the tires, use your tire pressure gauge to check the tire pressure again and make sure they are in a good range. Let the air out a bit if they are over-inflated by pressing the gauge harder on the valve stem.
Thus, we highly recommend that you check your tire pressure regularly, especially before a long drive or heavy load driving. Also, temperature affects the tire pressure a lot, and we will explain it in the next section. For the non-nerdy readers, just remember this rule of thumb and keep in mind that you will need to monitor your tire pressure during different seasons or a sudden temperature change.
For those who want a deeper dive into how psi's are determined, here's the science behind it. The equation we use to calculate the relationship between tire pressure and the temperature is called the Ideal Gas Law. It is a good approximation of the behavior of many gases under many conditions. Appx1 It works well for most low-pressure gases.
Please be aware that warning lights may cause your vehicle to fail its MOT. Not essentially, but over inflated tyres tend to cause uneven tyre wear, especially to the centre of the tyre and could mean that the full width of your tyre tread may not be legal.
Tyre pressures can be found in your vehicle's handbook, are usually stamped in the sill of the driver's door and can sometimes be found inside your fuel cap. There will be different settings for fully loaded vehicles, so please remember to check these, especially if carrying extra passengers or any additional weight, i.
These should be checked using a tyre pressure gauge which we strongly recommend that you buy or at a local petrol station. If you're having difficulty locating your tyre pressures, you can check your recommended tyre pressures by entering your registration number into the search box above.
Tyre pressures vary from vehicle to vehicle. The vehicle manufacturers determine the correct pressures for each make and model. Tyre pressures are measured in PSI which is the pounds per square inch. The correct tyre pressures for your car can be found in your vehicle's handbook, driver's door sill or sometimes inside your fuel cap.
If you can't find the correct tyre pressures for your vehicle, please use our tyre pressure lookup system above or call in to one of our branches for a FREE check. Frequently checking your PSI becomes even more important in the fall and winter, when outside temperatures drop and weather conditions fluctuate causing your tires to lose air more quickly. Generally speaking, your tire will gain or lose one PSI for every degree change in temperature, which means if you have a sudden drop of 30 degrees, you could lose three PSI overnight.
If your tires were already low, this could cause tire damage, steering problems or even a flat tire. Knowing and maintaining the right air pressure is important to the safety and longevity of your tires. All it takes is a tire pressure gauge and a few minutes of your time. Once you have the right tire pressure, make sure you also have the right coverage. Learn more about how Nationwide auto insurance can help protect you and save you money.
How to check tire pressure Knowing how to check tire pressure is critical to your safety and keeping your tires in good working order.
Use a tire pressure gauge When it comes to choosing a gauge, you typically have 3 options: Pen-type pressure gauges — Have a ruler-like rod that slides in and out of a sleeve to measure air pressure Dial pressure gauges — Feature a numbered dial with a watch-like hand Digital pressure gauges — Display numbers on a digital screen Put the pressure gauge into the valve stem, making sure the gauge is evenly and firmly pressed onto the stem.
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