How to Check Your Tire Pressure
Underinflated tires might cause an accident that could kill you. Need another reason for inflating your tires?
Underinflated tires increase tire wear, which could burn through a set of $400 tires a year early. Need another reason?
Underinflated tires waste gas. How much gas? The Department of Transportation estimates that 5 million gallons of fuel per day are wasted due to low tire pressure. That's more than 2 billion gallons per year, just because people don't take the time to inflate their tires properly.
Inflating your tires to the specified pressure is important. So make it a habit to check and refill your tires once a month. And remember, you can't tell if a tire is underinflated just by looking at it. If it actually looks underinflated, it is way underinflated.
You can't tell whether a tire has the correct air pressure just by looking at it. Always use a tire-pressure gauge. You can buy a good-quality tire-pressure gauge at your local auto-parts store. If you don't have one, the pressurized-air machines at many gas stations and garages have gauges, although they might not always be accurate or functioning.
Find the air-pressure specifications for your car's tires. You'll usually find them on a sticker located on the driver's side doorjamb. Or the sticker may be in the glove box or trunk. Don't look at the tire's sidewall for the air-pressure specifications, as it lists the maximum pressure for the tire.
Unscrew the plastic cap on the air valve. Put it in your pocket so you don't lose it.
Press the tire-pressure gauge against the valve and hold it down firmly (see illustration). If you hear a hissing noise, you are letting air out. Press down harder.
Read the measurement on the gauge.
Add air as needed but don't overfill the tire.
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