Tyre Pressures - How to check, Recommended Pressures, Everything you need to know!, by At The Wheel on YouTube. 16 min 40 s.
- Video length
- 16 min 40 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Find the recommended pressures in your car handbook or on the sticker inside the driver's door pillar. They are listed for normal load and often for a full load, so pick the one that matches how you drive.
Check the tyres when they are cold, meaning the car has sat for at least three hours or you have driven under a mile. Warm tyres read higher and give a false result.
Unscrew the valve cap on the first tyre and keep it somewhere safe. Press the gauge firmly onto the valve so no air hisses out, then read the number.
Write down the reading and compare it with the recommended figure. Repeat on all four tyres and the spare if you have one.
If a tyre is low, connect the air pump to the valve and add air in short bursts. Check with the gauge after each burst so you do not overshoot.
If a tyre is too high, press the gauge or the pump's release button to let air out slowly, then recheck.
Refit every valve cap tightly. Caps keep dirt and moisture out of the valve and stop slow leaks.
Reset the tyre pressure warning light if your car has one, usually through a menu button or by holding a reset switch. Check the handbook for the exact method.
Tips and common mistakes
Check pressures at least once a month and before long motorway trips, since tyres slowly lose air over time.
A tyre that keeps dropping is likely punctured or has a bad valve, so get it looked at rather than just topping it up.
Do not judge pressure by how the tyre looks, because a tyre can be badly low and still look almost normal.
Never deflate a warm tyre to match the cold figure, as it will then be too low once it cools.
Questions
What pressure should my tyres be?
Use the figure in your handbook or on the door pillar sticker, not the maximum printed on the tyre sidewall. That sidewall number is a limit, not a recommendation.
How often should I check tyre pressure?
Once a month and before any long journey is a good habit. Also check after a big temperature drop, as cold weather lowers pressure.
Can I check tyres at a petrol station?
Yes, but drive gently and check as soon as you arrive. If the tyres are hot from a long drive, add about 4 PSI above the cold figure and recheck when cold.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
