General Maintenance – Check Tire Pressure
From WikiAutoRepair
Contents |
[edit] Tools Needed
- Tire Gauge
[edit] Supplies Needed
- Free Air from Gas Station
[edit] Instructions
TEST: To determine if you have proper air pressure on your tires.
When it comes to vehicle safety, tires rank right up there with brakes, seatbelts, and airbags. In addition to safer driving, proper tire pressure improves fuel economy and reduces tire wear. You burn 1% more fuel and 10% more tire wear for every 3 psi below your car's specifications. Keep a digital tire gauge and small notebook in the car to record your tire pressure every month.
- Check the owner’s manual to figure out the proper tire pressure level required for your car or look for a sticker on the doorjamb of the driver side. The back tires and the front tires usually have different pressure levels.
- Check the tires pressure in the morning before using the car while the tires are cold. Or wait at least half hour after driving the car to cool down the tires before checking the pressure.
- Unscrew the valve cap located on the rim of your tire and press the tire gauge onto the valve stem. There is a hissing noise as you press down on the valve stem and the air is escaping.
Tire Gauge
- Read the tire pressure on the tire gauge. Write down the pressure of the tires as you check them. This will be helpful when it is time to fill up the tires.
- Fill the tires with air if the pressure of the tires is below the manual’s recommendation or the sticker on the driver’s door.
Filling Your Tires
- Always go to a gas station or tire shop that has free air. Pull your car in close to the air compressor so the hose reaches all four tires.
- Inflate your tires to the recommended levels. When the air is going in sounds like a balloon being blown up. If you driven to a gas station to fill the tires and they are hot from use, add 2-3 PSI over the recommended levels to have extra air to release when rechecking again.
- Recheck the tire pressure with the tire gauge. If the pressure is too high, press the gauge down just far enough to release some air from the tire. Check it again.
- Check and fill the spare tire also.
