We all know that routine maintenance is important for everything from our computers to our cars. But sometimes, we fall short. One of the most neglected routine car maintenance tasks is to check tire pressures and inflate them as necessary. That’s why newer cars have tire pressure warning lights, or tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), that let you know when you have under- or over-inflated tires (when any tire is 25% underinflated).
Older vehicles don’t have this useful warning light. So, don’t wait for a rupture to check or change a tire. Use this guide to learn how to check the pressure (PSI) of your vehicle tires and how to inflate them to the proper air level.
Why should you check your tire pressure?The number one reason why you should periodically check your tire pressure is SAFETY, but there are monetary and handling reasons as well:
Proper tire pressure (as recommended by the manufacturer) is needed to drive safely and efficiently. According to a 2009 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
“…about 28% of light vehicles on our Nation’s roadways run with at least one underinflated tire. Only a few psi difference from vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tire inflation pressure can affect a vehicle’s handling and stopping distance. Poor tire maintenance can increase incidences of blowouts and tread separations. Similarly, underinflation negatively affects fuel economy.”
When your tires are underinflated, the tires get fatter, increasing their surface area. This causes high heat generation and extra resistance that could result in higher fuel costs, blown out tires, tire wear, and loss of control.
If you feel like you’re spending too much at the gas pump, it might be your tires. According to the US Department of Energy:
“You can improve your gas mileage by 0.6% on average—up to 3% in some cases—by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by about 0.2% for every 1 psi drop in the average pressure of all tires.”
In addition to safety and fiscal concerns, keeping your tires properly inflated will also reduce your impact on the environment. When your tires are properly inflated, you’ll pay less for gas, replace your tires less often, and improve your handling and stopping distance. You’ll also feel better knowing that you are emitting less carbon dioxide and other harmful substances into the atmosphere.
What is the right PSI level?PSI stands for pounds per square inch. The recommended PSI for your vehicle’s tires is determined by the vehicle’s manufacturer and the recommended tire size.
One big question that we get is whether you should follow the recommended PSI level on the tire itself or the recommended PSI level printed in your owner’s manual or on the placard inside of door edge, glove box door, or fuel door.
Do NOT use the max PSI that is printed on the tire sidewall. This is not the recommended PSI level. The pressure amount on the tire is normally the maximum allowed pressure. The correct PSI level is almost always less than what you see printed on the side of the tire. Over-inflation can lead to poor handling and comfort, overheating and blow outs. Over 40 PSI is a dangerous level for most vehicles!
Make sure you always use the recommended PSI as provided in your owner’s manual and don’t go any more than 5 PSI over the recommended level. You should make sure, however, that your tires are appropriate for your vehicle. You can do this by checking the car’s owner’s manual or the placard that is on the inside of the driver-side door, glove box, or fuel door.
Most car tire pressure recommendations range from 30-35 PSI.
How often should I check tire pressure?A question in many minds is when is the appropriate time and frequency for checking and inflating vehicle tires.
A quick google search will reveal a variety of different opinions and suggestions. Some say that you should check your tire pressure every 2nd visit to the gasoline station, while others say once every 3-6 months is OK.
Most tire and vehicle manufacturers, on the other hand, will say that you should check your tire pressure at least once every month, or every second trip to the gas pump. Your tires will lose around 1 PSI each for every month that goes by.
Unfortunately, not one answer will fit every situation. There are several factors that influence how often you should check your tire pressure, including:
Did you know that for every 10°-drop in temperature, you lose 1 pound of pressure?
If you have a leaky valve or a small puncture, you will lose air pressure much more quickly. This is one more reason why you should frequently check the tire pressure on all of your tires.
Since tire pressure constantly fluctuates, it’s important to check it periodically (at least once a month) and add air as necessary.
How to Check Tire PressureFinding out the tire pressure of your tires is incredibly easy. All you need is a pressure gauge (click here for additional items you should have in your vehicle).
Just make sure that you are checking your tires when they are relatively cold. If you check your tire pressure after a long drive, you will get an inaccurate reading since heat will temporarily increase the tire pressure reading.
Unfortunately, not all pressures gauges are created equal. Some are better than others. We recommend shelling out a couple extra bucks for a digital reader. The pop-up, stick-type versions are notoriously inconsistent and unreliable. A reliable gauge will be well worth the investment. Prices range from about $5 for the stick-type and about $30 for the digital and dial-type pressure gauges.
You can also check your tire pressure at most gas stations or auto repair shops. Discount Tire offers free tire pressure checks and inflation.
Here are the steps for checking your tire pressure:It should only take you a couple minutes to check the air pressure of your vehicle’s tires. As soon as you restore tire pressure to the recommended levels, you’ll start experiencing the safety and savings that come with this regular maintenance task.
Watch this video for more information on how to check your tire pressure:
How to Inflate TiresHere are the steps for adding air to your tires:
Remember, just one drop in PSI can lower your gas mileage by about 0.2%. For every 3-4 PSI units that your tire is underinflated, you are burning around 1% more fuel.
If your tires are flat, then you probably have a leak. Add air and see if you can drive around without the pressure dropping. If you hear air escaping the tire while you are filling up, then it’s time to replace the tire.
Tip: Learn how to use the air pump properly first. Some automatic air pumps at gas stations have a handle/switch that you need to depress in order for the air to flow. When you let go of the handle, a tire pressure gauge will pop out showing you the tire pressure. At the same time, air will be slowly released. If your air pump has this kind of handle, then you will want to hold down the handle for most of the time, periodically releasing it to check the pressure reading. Consult your own tire pressure gauge for accuracy.
When should I replace my tires?If you check your tire pressure at least once a month as recommended, you’ll also get a good idea of the general condition of your tires and when you should replace them.
We recommend using the penny test:
Source: bridgestonetire.com
Click here for more car maintenance tips. Click here for car winterization tips.
Auto Simple wants you to find a vehicle you love at a price you can afford. We carry a large selection of hand-picked, Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, all with a 6 month/6,000-mile Powertrain Warranty.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to speak with one of our Online Specialists or give us a call:
Chattanooga, TN – (423) 551-3600
Cleveland, TN – (423) 476-4600
Dayton, TN – (423) 775-4600
Dalton, GA – (706) 217-CARS (2277)
Follow us on social media for more useful information on buying, selling, and maintaining vehicles: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Google+.
When life gets busy and you’re more focused on where you’re going than how you’re getting there, the air pressure in your tires can be easy to overlook. But when it comes to tire maintenance, proper inflation is one of the easiest ways to maximize your safety, performance and tire life. So if it’s been a while since you’ve checked yours, come in and let one of our experts do it for free.
Is your TPMS Light on, or do your tires feel deflated?
Come in for a Free Tire Air Pressure Check today.
Schedule an Appointment
While our tire technicians are happy to check your tire pressure for you any time, it’s also something you can do yourself. To prevent over- or under-inflation and the possible tire failure that comes with them, follow these steps:
NOTE: Air pressure in a tire goes up (in warm weather) or down (in cold weather) 1–2 pounds for every 10 degrees of ambient air temperature change.
The optimum air pressure for each tire on your vehicle is determined by the engineers who assisted in the design and production of your car. Proper tire pressure and inflation aid in optimizing the tire's and vehicle's driving performance, grip on the road while driving, and overall ride quality. Maintaining your vehicle’s tire pressure to the recommended pressure is critical to your vehicle’s ability to stop, start, and turn corners.
There are a few different places listed below to find your recommended proper tire pressure around your vehicle.
Stop by a Just Tires location near you today and we’ll check the tire air pressure on your vehicle free of charge.
LEARN MORE
Tire Size
Learn MoreTire Maintenance
Learn MoreTread Depth
Learn More This question, of course, is relevant only for beginners, both in driving and in the automotive business in general. An experienced driver in response to the question "How to pump up a tire" will grin and answer:
- How, how. Take it and pump it up.
Since this question does not represent any difficulty or mystery for an experienced driver.
So the car has wheels. Wheels have tires. These tires need to be inflated from time to time. To do this, you need to know what the optimal pressure should be in the tires. Keep in mind that the front tire pressure may be slightly different from the rear tire pressure. However, an indicator of the proper level of tire pressure is available in the passport. Get into the habit of at least visually inspecting the wheels before each exit from the parking lot or garage - have they been let down? And if it even seemed to you that one wheel was “squeezed” more than the others, do not be too lazy to check its air pressure level. This means that you must have a pressure gauge in the glove compartment. And if the pressure is less than it should be, the wheel should be pumped up. Experienced drivers - and you probably noticed this - kick before leaving
wheels. And by impact they can determine whether it is worth pumping up the wheel or not. As for you, if you took the pressure gauge in your hands, check, just in case, the pressure in all wheels. Reduced pressure in tires while driving will create uneven adhesion to the road surface and contribute to tread wear. Uneven distribution of the load, which necessarily happens with a difference in tire pressure, will lead to a violation of the stability of the car while driving. You will feel it by the fact that the steering wheel will begin to “lead”. In this case, you should stop and pump up the wheel. In addition, insufficiently inflated tires lead to the fact that the engine begins to "eat" gasoline. Do you need it? Therefore, you should get into another habit: to carry a compressor or at least a pump in the trunk of your car along with another tool. In particular, to replace the wheel in the event of a tire puncture. Because today's habit of not having any tool in the trunk at all is a bad habit.
It is better to pump the wheels with a compressor. They appeared in wide sale at the very beginning of the 90s of the last century, but failed after two or three pumpings. Now the quality of compressors has improved somewhat. In fact, each compressor has a built-in pressure gauge, so you can safely control the level of pressure in the wheel. What steps do you need to take to pump up the wheel with a compressor? Unscrew the cap from the tire valve. Put the nozzle of the compressor hose on the valve and see what the pressure is in the tire. If it is below the norm - and you learned it by heart - then you should definitely pump it up. Next, you connect the compressor to the cigarette lighter socket (after removing the cigarette lighter itself) and turn on the compressor. After the pressure gauge has shown the norm, you turn off the compressor and disconnect the hose from the tire valve. Experienced drivers then spit on their fingers and smear the surface of the valve with saliva. If the saliva begins to bubble, then the nipple is bleeding air. In order to stop this process, you take the valve cap and its reverse side, which has a pin with a groove, twist the nipple. When the bubbling of saliva stops - which means that the bleeding of air has stopped - you screw the cap on the tire valve and you can continue to move. Watch out, don't pump the wheel. Otherwise, when driving, the load on the central part of the tread will be increased, which will lead to its wear, and safety will also be reduced due to insufficient grip of the wheels with the road surface. To prevent this from happening, bleed excess air from the wheel by pressing the nipple pin with your fingernail. You can pump up the wheel the old fashioned way - with a hand (pumping) or foot pump, using your own physical effort. The technological process will be the same, except for the use of the cigarette lighter. Current pumps also have built-in pressure gauges, and if not, remove the pressure gauge from the glove compartment.
After all, you have it there, right?
A lot of articles on the topic "How to pump up a tire without a compressor" roam the Internet. Which of these techniques are effective and safe, and which ones should not be resorted to, says the expert "Behind the wheel".
If I change wheels, do I need to balance them every season?
Inflating a tire in the city is not a problem. There will always be a thrifty car enthusiast nearby who will lend a compressor. In extreme cases, you can drive to the nearest auto parts store and buy this useful device. But if the need to pump up the wheel caught on a long journey, on a deserted track, you will have to use your ingenuity.
A very banal way is to turn to professionals, that is, truck drivers. The fact is that any truck with pneumatic brakes can supply dried and purified air with high pressure through a hose that a thrifty truck driver always has with him.
Many petrol stations now have tire inflators, and perhaps the easiest way is to hitch a ride to the tire and return to your car the same way. If all of the above did not work, then read about the tricks that we personally tested for effectiveness:
Attaching the can (any) to the nipple is not that difficult. The pressure inside the cylinder is 1.8-2.8 bar. It is important that the contents do not dissolve the rubber and do not harden, such as building foam.
Here, of course, canisters with compressed air are good, designed to purge, for example, office equipment. But the internal volume of the wheel of a small class car is about 20-25 liters. For pumping, you will need several boxes of spray cans. Unacceptable!
It is possible to connect the tire valve to the brake master cylinder connection after draining the reservoir. After that, we begin to press the brake pedal as is usually done when bleeding the brakes when replacing the brake fluid. To inflate the wheel, it will take a gigantic number of clicks. Unacceptable!
Connect the hose to the air path after the turbocharger. The boost pressure in the line between the compressor and the intake valves of conventional (non-sport) engines is not enough to inflate the wheel. No matter how hard you go, it's unacceptable!
Advanced car enthusiasts know the method of transferring the bead ring over the hump of the rim using an explosion of fuel vapor. The Internet is full of videos on this subject.
It is usually advised to unscrew the spool from the valve. I wonder what will happen if this is not done? We need to keep up the pressure. We conducted an experiment and got an unsatisfactory result. With this method, it is possible to provide not much pressure in the wheel - about 0.2 bar. The method really allows you to brilliantly cope with the task of transferring the sidewall through the hump, but it is not suitable for pumping!
This is perhaps the most unusual way to inflate a tire. Having carried out an experiment with a large 6-kilogram fire extinguisher, it was possible to raise the pressure by a completely ridiculous amount of a couple of tenths of a bar. And this despite the inverted spool. Everything around was covered with a rather nasty powder. Unacceptable!
The average car owner usually has a powder-type fire extinguisher in the trunk. A powder fire extinguisher of a fairly large volume worked out of hand badly. The wheel has not been pumped up yet.
If you can attach a hose to the exhaust pipe, you can inflate the wheel in this way. The engine is able to provide a pressure of two or more bar with a sealed exhaust system and if you “give it a gas”. The method is acceptable, but only as a last resort. The fact is that with this method, the catalytic converter, and even the corrugation of the exhaust system, may suffer.
The hardest part was getting the tight connection between the thin hose and the exhaust pipe. A variety of caps from bottles, washers, plumbing drives can go into business. What will be at hand. Electrical tape will help seal the connection.
If you want to pump up a wheel, jack the car up! Debunking the Myth
With the help of a hose it is possible to transfer part of the air from the other wheels to the one we need to inflate. The method is complicated, because the valve mechanism will interfere with such a procedure. If we turn out the spools, we risk leaving several wheels without air. But even if you manage to get by with minimal losses, the pressure in all the wheels will turn out to be insufficient. In the best case, 75% of the pressure will remain in the wheels. Without preliminary preparation, which consists in assembling a hose with two tips like those installed on the compressor, we do not recommend trying this method!
***
Alternative ways to inflate tires are complicated, inconvenient, require advance preparation and can damage the vehicle.
