How to check car tyre pressure

Why it's important to check your tyre pressure

When was the last time you checked the pressure of your tyres? If you haven’t checked your tyres in over a month, then you might just be wasting fuel, and risking your safety.

Correct tyre pressure is important for three main reasons. Firstly, badly inflated tyres make it harder to handle your car on the road, impairing your ability to steer, corner, accelerate and brake. Secondly, over and underinflation wears your tyres down quicker, as the wrong parts of the rubber make contact with the road. Lastly, incorrect tyre pressure increases rolling resistance, burning more fuel and sending your fuel economy out the window.

So what are you waiting for? Learn how to check your tyre pressure and refill your tyres below.

Step 1: Check the recommended tyre pressure

Before you can start checking your tyres, you’ll need to know what pressure is ideal. To do this, you’ll need to find the tyre pressure recommended by the manufacturer of your car. You can usually find this information on the driver’s side door frame, inside the fuel door, in the glove box, or in your car’s manual.

If you can’t find the recommended pressure, you should consult your vehicle dealer, manufacturer, or a qualified tyre professional.

Step 3: Fill your tyres

Now, it’s time to refill your tyres to the perfect pressure. The process is slightly different depending on which type of air compressor you are using. Check which steps are right for you below, and make sure to always follow the instructions on your air compressor.

1. If your air compressor allows you to set the desired tyre pressure, enter the correct kPA. Generally, this should be the recommended manufacturer pressure you found in step one. However, if you’ve recently driven your car more than 2km, and your tyres are hot, we’d recommend increasing the pressure by 20-50 kPA.
2. Remove the valve cap from your tyre.
3. Attach the air compressor hose to the valve stem. You can see in the picture below where you’ll need to attach the hose. Make sure you push on the hose so that air can’t escape while the tyre is filling.
4. Press on the lever to fill your tyre. If you’re using an automatic tyre compressor, simply hold down the lever until you hear a beep. When the beep sounds, your tyres are at the set pressure. If you’re using a manual air compressor, you will need to press the lever and let air into your tyre in short bursts, checking tyre pressure regularly and repeating as needed.
5. Be aware that petrol station compressors can be inaccurate and may require you to double check the pressure with your own gauge to make sure the pressure is perfect.

If you find your tyre is overinflated, release some air by turning the valve cap around and then pushing on the valve core, or with your fingernail. If you find your tyre is underinflated, reattach the hose and refill your tyres, slightly increasing the desired kPA. Then, check the pressure is correct once you have finished.