Tyre Pressure: Some tips on maintaining and checking the tyre pressure

What is tyre pressure?

Tyre pressure is basically the measure of the amount of air in the tyres of a vehicle, in pounds per sqaure inch. It is recommended that the tyre pressure should be checked at least once in a month with a pressure gauge. It is important that you maintain an optimal pressure in all the tyres of your car so that it could help in enhancing safety, fuel economy, handling and braking quality of your car, etc.

Why tyre pressure is important?

Maintaining the correct tyre pressures is necessary as it is one of the most important factors for your safety on road. Under-inflated tyres can get overheated and it may lead to early failure while over-inflated tyres can cause uneven tread wear and tear. It may also provide your car with a poor handing quality.

Another reason why proper maintenance of tyre pressure is important is cost. Improperly inflated tyres may suffer more from shocks and road impacts of daily driving than the correctly inflated tyres. When the tyre pressure is properly maintained then the tyres endure adverse impacts such as curbing, hitting a pot hole or other harmful objects on the road surface. Also, correctly inflated tyres need much less power in handling and save a lot of fuel when compared to incorrectly inflated tyres.

Moreover, properly inflated tyres can increase the longevity of your tyres as well as your car. If you check and correct your tyre pressures on a regular basis, it will help you get the maximum fuel efficiency from your vehicle. It is also important to note down that most of the premature and uneven wearing of tyres happen because of the incorrect tyre pressures.

Tips for maintaining the correct tyre pressure:

1) You should check your car's tyre pressure on a regular basis.

2) The tyre pressure which is particularly recommended for your car can be found on the user manual book of your manufacturer.

3) You can also check for information about tyre pressure settings on the fuel filter flap of your car or inside the front right door-strip.

4) When you carry extra load on your vehicle then it is recommended that you should check for the “loaded” pressure settings, as increased weight needs higher tyre pressure.

5) Always remember that you should check the tyre pressure when the tyres are cold and not after coming back from a long drive as it may lead to wrong pressure reading due to to expansion of air inside the tyre.

6) When you check all the tyres of your car it should also include the spare tyre.

How to check tyre pressure:

1) First of all, you need to buy a trusted pressure gauge.

2) Check the tyre pressure when the tyres are cold. If you have just come from a drive then check it at least 3-4 hours later, or else check the pressure before starting for a ride.

3) Insert the pressure gauge into the valve stem on the tyre. The gauge will pop out and show a measured number. Then you will hear the escaping sound of the air from your tyre. Do not hold down the pressure gauge for too long as it may affect the pressure to a large extent.

4) Measure the pressure and compare the psi with the psi mentioned on the inner side of the front right door of your car. You can also find the recommended pressure in the user manual given by the manufacturer.

5) Do not compare with the psi given on the sidewall of the tyre.

6) If you find that the measured psi is above than the one recommended by the manufacture, let the air go out until it matches the given tyre pressure. If it comes below, then you need to add air until correct tyre pressure is achieved.