How to check and inflate tyre pressure

Checking tyre pressure is essential for road safety, driver performance, and fuel efficiency. If it’s too high, you run the risk of excessive wear, poor vehicle handling, and low suspension. Too low, and you’ll likely experience punctures, poor fuel efficiency, and increased rolling resistance. Either way, it’s dangerous. So, knowing how to check and inflate your tyres is critical to your day-to-day driving. Here’s everything you need to know.

You can use the gauge provided at a petrol stations to check tyre pressures. Usually, you’ll see a machine for air and water with the gauge attached. Otherwise, you can buy an LED tyre pressure gauge.

Next, you should check the recommended tyre pressure measurement for your vehicle (usually measures in PSI or bar). This is typically found in your vehicle handbook, on the dashboard (for newer vehicles), inside the fuel cap, or on the driver’s door. Try the glove box or passenger door side to find the vehicle handbook.

Then, with the gauge and pressure measurement ready, follow these steps to check your pressure:

1. Before you start, make sure the tyres are cold. If they’re too warm, you may get inaccurate pressure readings.
2. Remove the valve caps on each wheel.
3. Insert the gauge onto the valve and push until the hissing sound stops.
4. Check the PSI reading and compare it to the recommended PSI for your vehicle.
5. Determine whether you need to increase or decrease the air in your tyres and follow the steps below.
6. Repeat the process for all wheels.

If the pressure is too low, follow these steps to inflate the tyres.

1. Attach the hose fitting to the valve using the tyre pressure gauge and press the lever. Or, if the hose has a screw fitting, screw until tight, so no air escapes.
2. Turn the inflator on—you should hear air flowing through the hose.
3. The tyre pressure gauge will stop once it’s reached the correct PSI. If not, keep an eye on the reading so you can control it manually.
4. Don’t forget to put the valve cap back on. You can then move on to inflating another tyre if needed.

Your tyres may be overinflated if you’ve been carrying excessive weight, such as baggage or towing a caravan. Or you may have simply inflated them too high by mistake. Overinflated tyres are dangerous and can harm your vehicle's performance. So, if the tyre pressure exceeds the recommended PSI, you must deflate them by following these steps:

1. To release air, use the digital gauge again. If you’re at a petrol station, be sure to use the correct hose. Typically, there’s a hose for inflating tyres and a hose for releasing air. For manual air inflators, you should also have a separate pin specifically for deflating tyres. If not, you may need to order one online to attach it to your device.
2. Set the gauge to the recommended PSI, then connect it to the valve.
3. Press down long enough to release air and wait for the machine to beep to tell you when it reaches the correct PSI.
4. Remember to reattach the valve when complete, or you may lose more air than intended.

You can check tyre pressure anywhere with a portable inflator and pressure gauge. Otherwise, you’ll need to visit a petrol station and use the dedicated machine. Of course, you can also book a free tyre check at yourlocal Halfords garage, and we’ll check your tyre pressure for free.

You shouldn’t wait for your tyre warning light before checking air pressure. If you’re proactive, you’ll likely stop issues like punctures before they occur. And you’ll also maximise the life of your tyres, saving you further costs down the line.

It’s good practice to check tyre pressure every few weeks. In addition, you should check tyre pressure before and after a long drive, as well as after any sudden temperature changes. In particular, cold weather can cause tyre pressure to drop.

It’s crucial to inflate tyres at the right time. Ideally, tyres should be cold because warm tyres can give an incorrect PSI reading. Plus, handling tyres when hot is not a good idea as you may cause an injury. If you’ve been driving continuously for an hour or so, wait at least two hours for the tyres to cool down.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach for tyre pressure. It varies by vehicle, so you’ll need to check the handbook to find the recommended PSI. It might also be on the inside the driver’s door or fuel cap, or digitally on the dashboard. For newer cars, it may tell you the current PSI of each tyre and what they need to be.

What are the effects of low tyre pressure?

Underinflated tyres can cause a range of issues from increased fuel consumption to aquaplaning. As a result, it’s crucial to monitor tyre pressure regularly to avoid these risks and to ensure you remain safe on the road.