What should my tyre pressure be?
Your vehicle’s tyre pressure should be regularly checked to ensure it’s at the recommended level. That’s because under or overinflated tyres can cause a long list of potential issues, such as reduced grip, fuel economy and even tyre blowouts. The good news is that finding your tyre’s pressure is easy to do. Here, we show you how to check your tyre pressure, and why it’s a crucial part of safely running a vehicle.
How to find your tyre pressure
Firstly, you’ll need to find the correct tyre pressure for your vehicle. You should be able to find your vehicle’s recommended tyre pressure:
- In your car’s handbook
- On the sill of the passenger’s side door
- Inside the fuel cap
- On your dashboard
It’s worth noting that recommended tyre pressures vary. They’re set by the vehicle manufacturer and change from model to model, so you’ll always need to find your specific model’s tyre pressure. Plus, you’ll find luggage weight can affect tyre pressure too. The more passengers, luggage, and subsequent weight you carry, the higher your tyre pressure will be.
Why check your tyre pressure?
Without regular check-ups, you run the risk of having over or underinflated tyres, which can impact:
- Tyre safety – Incorrect tyre pressure can cause many safety concerns, including poor handling. If you’re under the recommended guidelines, there’s also a higher chance of aquaplaning and longer braking distances on dry roads.
- Fuel economy – Underinflated tyres increase rolling distance, which increases your vehicle’s fuel consumption. You'll reduce running costs by having your tyres at the correct pressure.
- Longevity – Incorrect pressure can weaken the structure of the tyre, leading to a reduction in your tyre’s lifespan.
How to check/inflate your tyre pressure
To do an air pressure check, you’ll need a tyre pressure gauge and an inflator (if your tyres are overinflated), which you insert into each tyre. Many petrol stations have tyre pressure pumps if you don’t have a tyre pressure gauge.
When you have a gauge and tyre inflator, read our guide on checking your tyre pressure to get an accurate reading.
Where can I check my tyre pressure?
If you put too much air in your tyres, they’ll have a smaller contact patch, which can lead to a loss of grip and longer braking distances. Overinflated tyres can also cause uneven wear across the central area of the tyre. This can reduce the lifespan of your tyre, meaning you’ll have to replace tyres more often.
For more information, we’ve compiled this guide on the effects of overinflated tyres.
Is low tyre pressure dangerous?
Underinflated tyres compromise safety on the roads. Left unchecked, low tyre pressure can cause uneven contact with the road’s surface, resulting in loss of grip from excessive wear to your tread’s inside and outside edges.
They can also cause the tyre to heat up excessively, which can make the tread pull away from the tyre’s body. If this happens on a motorway, it could lead to a dangerous blowout or accident. Plus, underinflated tyres can lead to increased rolling resistance, which reduces fuel efficiency and increases cO2 emissions.
How do I convert the pressure of the tyre from Psi to Bar or Kpa?
kPa, PSI or Bar can be used to measure tyre pressure. The metric used often depends on the manufacturer’s location and whether that country uses the metric or imperial system. To make life easier, we’ve put together a tyre pressure conversion guide which shows you how to convert Psi to Bar or Kpa.
FAQs
A TPMS is a tyre pressure monitor system. Our TPMS guide has more information on what they are and how they work.
A faulty TPMS can result in an MOT fail, so it's important to ensure you check this beforehand. You can also read our guide to see the complete list of what’s checked with a Halfords MOT.
Yes, you can drive if the tyre pressure warning light appears. But, when it’s safe to do so, you should pull over to check the tyre pressure of your tyres. Our guide has more information on the tyre pressure warning light and how to reset it.
Driving with a heavier load—for example, carrying luggage or towing a caravan—will require you to inflate your tyres to a higher pressure than usual. Calculate the correct tyre pressure based on your vehicle’s weight and load.