How to Properly Check and Put Air in Tires
While it may seem like a mundane task, inflating tires is much more crucial to your car than you may think, and it results in a safer and more economical experience on the road. Proper tire inflation can significantly improve the fuel economy of your vehicle. Your vehicle’s handling also will be greatly improved as the larger a tire’s inflated footprint, the more responsive and comfier the ride balance will be.
Before Starting
To find your tires’ proper inflation level, look for a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb. It displays the vehicle weight restriction and tire information including the recommended tire pressure. The info is also found in the maintenance or car-care section of your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
Tips for Checking Tire Pressure and Putting Air in Your Tires
Temperature plays a huge part in tire psi, the expert said, adding that the most crucial time of year to check pressure is in fall and winter when days are shorter and average temperatures plummet.
Check your tires in the morning before going anywhere, because as soon as you get behind the wheel for an extended amount of time, psi will rise. Experts said that if you’ve been on the road a long time and notice higher psi in your tires, don’t let the air out, as the increase in pressure has built up due to the warm, constantly-in-motion tires.
What to Do
1. Pull your car onto a level surface in the shade.
2. Remove dust caps from the tires’ valve stems.
3. Using your tire gauge, firmly press the tip of the gauge straight onto the tire’s valve stem for a brief moment.
4. The tire gauge should provide a psi reading; if the number seems unrealistically low or high — for example, 85 psi or 1 psi – you will need to repeat the previous step, ensuring that the tire gauge’s tip is properly making contact with the valve stem.
5. If the tire gauge’s recorded reading is higher than the manufacturer-recommended rating, press the gauge tip on the valve stem until you hear air leak out. Check the tire pressure again.
6. If the reading is lower than recommended, you will need to fill the tire with air. If you don’t have an air compressor at home, you’ll have to take your car somewhere with one. A gas station is likely to have one, but not all do. Do not drive on a flat tire; it is unsafe and can damage the wheel itself.
7. To fill the tire, firmly press the air-hose tip onto the valve stem. You will hear air quietly enter the tire. If you hear air leaking or spraying out, you need to double-check that the connection between the air hose and the tire’s valve stem is secure.
8. When you think you’ve added or let out enough air, check the pressure a few times with the gauge.
9. Replace the valve dust caps.
The importance of keeping dust caps on during winter driving because if water gets into the valve stem and freezes inside the tire, it could cause a flat.
While you’re at it, check your spare tire’s pressure. You don’t want to have a flat tire and then find out your replacement is flat, too.
Make these steps part of your routine. It will benefit your vehicle and your wallet.
