How to Check Vehicle Tyre Pressure

From car enthusiasts to everyday commuters, owning a vehicle requires several regular maintenance checks to make sure it’s in top working condition. Not only does it ensure the best performance but also the longevity of your vehicle.

One of the most critical aspects of vehicle maintenance is monitoring your tyre pressure regularly. As you rack up the miles, your tyres take a beating from riding curbs, wear and potholes that come up on almost every journey. Just like shoes on your feet, they will no longer be in prime condition after several years of using them, so it’s important to keep an eye on the tyre pressure.

Optimal tyre pressure not only ensures vehicle safety but also enhances fuel efficiency, tyre durability and grip. A select few modern cars have built-in tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), but this is a small percentage of total cars on the road and many don’t have this luxury.

Here at LK Performance, we’ve helped thousands of customers with their tyre pressure issues, and we want to guide you through the steps needed to check it yourself. We’ll discuss why it’s an important aspect of driving and what you need to perform this task.

Why Is a Tyre Pressure Check Important?

As we all know, tyres are the contact point between the vehicle and the road, so it’s vital that nothing is preventing it from operating smoothly. Low tyre pressure can result in increased or uneven tyre wear, decreased fuel economy and instability under load. However, regular pressure checks will help you spot a slow puncture, which will be explained in more detail further below.

How Often Should You Perform a Tyre Pressure Check?

Ideally, you should check your tyre pressure at least before every season change, and more importantly before a long journey. Checking before winter or summer hits is a natural point to perform some vehicle maintenance, and doing so before you’ve started any journeys for the day means that the tyres will be cold enough to give an accurate pressure reading. Warm tyres will naturally have a higher pressure than usual.

Taking a reading of your tyres before a long journey is also a natural time to check, and will make a positive impact - under-inflated tyres will reduce the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, so restoring them to factory standards will save you money in the long run.

What Do You Need for a Tyre Pressure Check?

To conduct a check, you will need a tyre pressure gauge and a tyre pump in case the pressure is too low. Many petrol stations have these available if you do not have them at home. 

You will need the knowledge of the recommended pressure your vehicle’s tyres should be at. This information can be found on a chart on a small sticker in the door jam, inside the fuel cap or in the vehicle handbook. Keep in mind that some cars require different pressures for front and rear tyres.

How to Check Tyre Pressure

To check a tyre’s pressure, first remove the tyre valve cap, which is a small plastic screw cap that sticks out through the vehicle rims. Unscrew the cap to insert the pressure gauge into the valve stem, making sure that you insert it evenly to ensure an accurate reading. Some gauges and pumps will require you to screw onto the value while some simply clip on, it should be obvious which one you have.

Your pressure gauge will display the measurements in two values - in PSI (pounds per square inch) or Bars (the metric equivalent). Check the reading against your vehicle’s recommended tyre pressure chart, and take action accordingly.

What To Do If Tyre Pressure Is Too Low

If the tyre pressure is too low, this creates a wider content area between the tyres and the road, leading to uneven wear, reduced fuel efficiency and a higher risk of punctures.

If you find the tyres are running low, use a tyre pump to inflate them back to the recommended pressure. The tyre pump should be inserted into the tyre valve. Pump with caution and intermittent measuring checks using the tyre pressure gauge.

What To Do If Tyre Pressure Is Too High

On the surface, it seems reasonable to inflate the tyres beyond the recommended measurements to make them last longer. However, a higher tyre pressure than the limit can bring dangerous consequences as it has a smaller area of contact with the road, potentially reducing grip.

If you find the tyre is running high, let some air out of them using a screwdriver gently pressed into the valve stem.

Slow Punctures

Slow punctures are punctures in the tyres caused by driving over nails or screws that lodge in the tyre to partially plug the hole and create a small air leak. Air escapes at a slower rate than normal punctures so is usually imperceptible, but can create long-term problems with your tyres.

Consult a professional if you find a slow puncture in your vehicle. At LK Performance’s state-of-the-art fitting centre, we’re built to handle any vehicle repair outside an MOT test. Visit us, and we’ll recommend and can carry out the best course of action for you.

Be aware that in cases such as if you get a slow puncture in the tyre sidewall, or the puncture is on a perished tyre, this is likely to not be repairable and may require a full tyre replacement.

If you require new wheels to fit your vehicle perfectly, LK Performance is the perfect place online to do so. Our free online fitment checker holds a database of over 30m vehicle records, so we can help pinpoint the exact tyre fitting you need. From there, you can access our thousands of high-quality tyres from pedigree brands including Pirelli, Firestone, Continental, Michelin and Goodyear. Browse our collection today and get a free tyre fitting at our vehicle maintenance centre.