Tire Pressure: Know All About It & When To Get Professional Help

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Keeping car tires correctly inflated is one of the easiest and least expensive maintenance anyone can take! With just a bunch of change and a couple of minutes of your time, inflating your tires can increase the gas mileage of cars by up to 3%. In addition, properly inflated tires will result in improved handling, longer tire life, and a lower risk of tire blowouts.

We recommend checking your car tire pressure regularly once a month. To make it simple, choose a date, like the first day of the month or payday, and be consistent about checking the pressure on that day, especially as the weather changes.

How to Check Tire Pressure

Nowadays, all cars come equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). It sends alerts when your tires are overinflated or underinflated. However, it’s still a good idea to manually check your car’s pressure regularly.

hilen measuring tire pressure, you’re looking at pounds per square inch (PSI). Most cars require around 30–35 PSI.

To properly check your vehicle’s PSI, you will need:

• A quality tire pressure gauge
• The manufacturer’s recommended air pressure device for your vehicle’s tires.

Tire Pressure Gauge

The tire gauges are available in various shapes and can be easily found at automotive parts stores. However, a basic “pen”-style tire gauge will get the job done, but a digital gauge is more reliable and easier to use.

A high-quality tire gauge is very important for accurate readings, and it will hardly cost you around ₹1000.

Recommended Air Pressure

You can easily find the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure in the owner’s manual or on a sticker on the driver’s door. For some cars, there are different pressure requirements for the front and back tires. In any case, DO NOT use the PSI printed on the sidewall of your tires. It indicates the maximum inflation pressure, not the recommended PSI. Filling your tire to this pressure is very unsafe and possibly causes a blowout. The morning is the best time to measure your car tire’s PSI before leaving for work or after the vehicle has been parked for three or more hours.

Measuring Tire Pressure

To check your tire pressure, first, park the car and set the hand brakes. Next, remove the tire valve cap and put it in a safe place. The last step is to press the tire gauge firmly onto the valve stem and hold it for a couple of seconds until you get a reading.

While reading the tire pressure, if you hear any leaking, move the gauge around until it seals and the hissing stops.

With a pencil-style tire gauge, a thin bar will pop out from the bottom, which contains the PSI markings. A dial gauge will show the PSI on the dial, and a digital one will display the PSI on the screen.

For the most accurate result, you may need to take a reading 2-3 times. After reading, you can write down which tires are below the recommended pressure setting, so you know which tires to inflate. Also, don’t forget to check the spare!

How to Put Air in Your Tires

When you have an underinflated tire, it’s time to find a car service! Some people like to purchase their own compressor. The market is filled with portable options available for as low as ₹1000. However, most of the users choose to use the air pump at their local car service station.

Inflating Your Tires

1. Park your car at a proper place, from where you can access all four tires with the air hose easily and set the hand brake.
2. Remove the tire’s valve stem caps and store them in a safe place.
3. Use a tire gauge to check the pressure (see above for instructions).
   1. If you’re using the car service air pump, don’t rely on the gauge attached to the air hose as it can be inaccurate from longer use.
   2. If your tires are “warm,” (i.e., you’ve driven more than 10km or 15 minutes), add 2–4 PSI to the reading to compensate for the higher pressure condition.
4. If it’s a free air pump, you just need to push the air hose to get it started. However, For paid air pumps, it will begin once you make a payment with the mechanic
5. Now is the time to start filling air by pressing the air hose fitting down onto the valve stem. Most car service stations have a  lever/handle that you need to squeeze to get the air flowing. Fill up tires for 10–15 seconds, then check the tire pressure using your gauge. Continue to add air until it reaches the recommended pressure.

1. 1. Automatic air pumps devices will ask you to set the desired PSI beforehand. The machine will automatically fill your tire to the desired PSI and beep once the tire is filled.

1. If you add too much air, release it by pressing the pin inside the valve stem until it reaches the prescribed limit.
2. Continue with the remaining tires until they are all at the proper pressure, then return the air hose to the compressor. The compressor will automatically shut off.
3. Screw the valve caps back on!

All of our Getpitstop car service centres in Mumbai have a free air pump available outside the store. And if there’s not a pump, we will gladly pull your car into a bay to check and inflate your tires for free!

In addition, we have a team of experienced technicians who are ready to serve all your needs. Our service vans and workshops are spread across Mumbai and are equipped with top-grade equipment because we know your car deserves only the best. We use the Amaron battery for a better life and the quality it provides.

We at PitStop are committed to provide the best car service and make your car ownership experience seamless. Sometimes, problems with your vehicle can’t be fixed or addressed with a simple hack. Bring your car to PitStop, and our expert technicians can diagnose and repair any issues. Schedule an appointment at one of our locations today!