How to Find and Check Tyre Pressures: The Complete Guide

Charlotte Miller

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The steering wheel, the break, and the seatbelt have been deemed as the most important part of your car. But, car tyres also share mighty importance but receive little or no recognition when it comes to driver’s safety and comfort.  Your tyres are the actual point of contact with the road. This means they are interconnected and are in control of your braking, steering, acceleration, and encounter all the bumps during your off-road journeys. 

Hence, it becomes undeniably important that you have screwed some good-quality tyres for a smooth driving experience. Another thing that needs to be monitored correctly is your tyres’ pressures. Having the right amount of pressure improves the fuel efficiency of your vehicle and saves you from uneven wear. If you’re a car owner and want to add a few years to your car’s health then you’ve landed in the right direction. 

Here’s the ultimate guide that will make it simple for you. We will provide all the necessary information and things that you would need to make your DIY maintenance simpler! 

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What is a Tyre Pressure Checker? 

A tyre-pressure checker is also termed a tyre pressure gauge is a device that is used to measure the tyres pressure of a vehicle. In order to maintain the fuel efficiency of a vehicle, it’s relevant to keep the pressure of the tyre at the optimal amount. 

How to Check Tyre Pressure? 

There are numerous ways to monitor your car’s pressure: The first one is with the machine that you may find at every gas station. It comes with a foot pump and a gauge. It’s recommended to use your personal gauge as public gauges can give inaccurate readings. Whether you own a personal gauge or use a public one, the rule will always be the same. You need a valve cap, the small screw-on cap that is visible near the rim of the tyre, not very hard to find. All you have to do is to push the gauge onto the valve, and you will get a reading. A small amount of air will escape during the process, but that’s normal. If you find air coming out, you have not pushed the gauge properly on the valve. 

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What Should My Tyre Pressure be?

The tyre pressure is generally listed inside the driver’s door. If you have found no sticker on the door, you can find the tyre pressure listed on the specs manual. Also, the tyre pressure is different for every vehicle and depends on what type of car you are driving. For example- A fully loaded tempo traveller will have a maximum higher pressure than a city car with one person driving in or out of town. tyre pressure is measured on two scales: PSI (pounds per square inch), or bar (the metric equivalent). Most city or passenger cars have 32 psi to 35 psi in the tyre when they’re cold. So measure your tyre pressure after a long halt and usually, you can do it in the early morning.  Also, for all the new owners, it’s recommended to get your car MOT. It’s a compulsory and important aspect of the road and environmental safety.

What is the Story Behind Checking tyre Pressure When they’re Cold? 

The reason why you should check tyre pressure after a long stay when they’re cold as tyres are permanently in contact with the roads while driving. This increases the friction between them and causes a tyre to heat up, increasing both the air pressure and the temperature. For an accurate reading, make sure the car has been sitting cold overnight or at least has been parked for a few hours. 

What is (TPMS) tyre Pressure Monitoring System? 

The TPMS is an in-built electronic system in your car that continuously monitors your tyre air pressure. TPMS raises a red flag as an alert on your dashboard screen when the air pressure falls dangerously low. 

How does the TPMS system work? 

There are two types of TPMS systems being used today: direct TPMS and indirect TPMS. Details will be explained below:

Direct tyre Pressure Monitoring System

Direct TPMS is powered by sensors mounted within the wheel that measure the pressure levels and flags up a warning sign on the dashboard if the air pressure drops to a pre-set level. It gives an accurate reading for all types of tyres. 

Indirect tyre Pressure Monitoring System

Indirect TPMS utilises the ABS wheel speed sensors to monitor pressure. A tyre with extremely low air pressure will roll at a different speed than the other tyres. The information is collected by your car’s computer system, which flags up a warning light on the dashboard. 

What things can lead to low air pressure? 

Having a slow puncture that is normally unnoticed can make you have to top up a tyre. Also, it’s possible that the seal between your tyre’s bed and your rim is not as tight as it should be, and your tyres experience a low air leak. The DIY way to check for leaking is by smearing a little amount of water over the end of the valve- if there’s any air like it will form a bubble. Also, you can get it fixed from a local car tyre puncture repair shop. 

Why is tyre Pressure Important?

It is significant to keep in check with your tyre pressure because under-inflated tyres can lead to undesirable handling in the event that can cause severe injuries and fatalities to you and others.  The under-inflated tyre will also increase your fuel consumption by a noticeable amount, plus it can also hamper your car’s performance and therefore the emissions.  An overinflated tyre is also bad as the tyre will have less of the tyre surface in contact with the road, so handling and braking will suffer, as will tyre wear, with the tyre wearing out in the middle much faster than it would if it was correctly inflated.  Now think about how big a difference just 5 PSI can make.

I hope you have understood the need and importance of rightly measuring the air pressure of your tyre. We would love to hear from you and for more of such informative content, keep your eyes peeled. Till then, have a safe drive!