Checking Tire Air Pressure

One of the the most regular things you’ll need to do is to check your tire air pressure. It doesn’t matter if you drive a new car, an old banger, a sports car or a SUV, checking the tire pressure is a simple but often neglected task that a driver needs to do. Having the correct tire pressure will result in a safe, comfortable and economic driving. Not to mention it will save your wallet some money by maximizing the life of your tires.

If your tire pressure is not correct, a blow out can happen and the damage to your car can be quite bad. That’s assuming you did not go out of control and get into an accident.

Pic credit Brian Clayton

So how to check your tire air pressure” Most people will just drive to the gas station and use the air pump there. The trouble with the built in gauge of the air pumps in gas stations are that they are rarely calibrated. You’ll need to get a tire pressure gauge. Once you get one, you’ll realize how badly the gauges as gas stations tell pressure.

You can get it from almost any auto shop selling accessories or order one online. The best tire pressure gauge are the ones with a round metal dial and display. They cost about $30 and are a good investment. There are other electronic tire pressure gauges as well. I suggest that you check it out online at Amazon.

Once you have your pressure gauge. you’ll need to check the air pressure first thing in the morning when the tire is still cold. You might not think it matters much, but after just 1 to 2 kilometers of driving, the tire air pressure would have gone up by 2 to 3 psi depending on how fast you drove, the weight of your car and other road conditions. For a front wheel drive car, with more weight in the front end, the increase will be more for the front tires compared to the rear tires. So the best way is to get a tire pressure gauge and measure the air pressure before you drive anywhere.

Use the appropriate tire air pressure recommended by the manual that came with your car. There should also be a sticker that is stuck on the driver’s door or door post. You can see the example here.

With your tire pressure gauge, you’ll notice how big a difference between air pumps at different gas stations. Some can be off by as much as 5 to 10 psi on what they say on the dial. How often should you check your tire pressures? If you are disciplined, check your tire pressures weekly. If not, at least once fortnightly. That will ensure your tire pressure are well maintained.

If you feel your car tracking to the left or the right, the first thing is also to check your tire pressure. Incorrect inflation can cause similar symptoms similar to misalignment. If after you have inflated the tires to the correct pressure and your car still don’t drive in a straight line, then its time to check the alignments.