How Do I Find the Correct Tire Pressure for My Car?

What Should My Tire Pressure Be?

If you're unsure about how much tire pressure to put in your car, don't worry. Newer cars usually have a sticker inside the driver's door with the recommended tire pressure. If there's no sticker, check the owner's manual.

To get the most precise and reliable reading, check your car's tire pressure when they're cold. Temperature and air pressure increase as tires roll along the road due to friction between them and the road surface generating heat. For best results, make sure the car has been parked for several hours or overnight.

Never inflate your tires to the pressure indicated on the tire. That number is only the maximum amount of pressure that particular tire can take, not what is recommended for your car.

Having your tires over or underinflated will give you a less than smooth ride while also decreasing the lifespan of your tires. In fact, it's recommended that you replace them sooner if they're not inflated to their proper pressure levels. Not to mention, both ways negatively impact tire wear and vehicles performance as a whole.

Should all 4 tires have the same PSI?

It is not true that all 4 of your car's tires should have the same tire pressure. However, all the tires you buy for the same vehicle will require the same tire pressure, regardless of the tire manufacturer – the PSI specified in the car's owner's manual.

What happens if your PSI is too high?

Uneven tire wear can also be the result of overinflation. When your tires have too much air it causes the center of the tread to bow out and wear first. Because of this you will need new tires more often and have a less than comfortable ride.

What is the 4 psi rule?

Ideally, they should be about 4psi above the cold pressure. If the pressure is more than 4psi above the cold pressure, you should add more air. That is because there is too much friction, which builds up more heat than desirable. Conversely, if they are less than 4psi above cold pressure, the cold pressure is too high.

How close should you be to max tire pressure?

For a tire of 50PSI, the more pressure you want to safely use is 37.5PSI. This number is easy to get, just take the maximum PSI (50) and times it by . 75. You could go as high as 90% of the maximum but at the end of the day, you will want to stay as close to the recommended manufacture's values as possible.