How to Check Tire Pressure

Start on the driver-side door jamb. The Tire and Loading Information label lists the recommended cold pressure for the original tire sizes. Some vehicles print different front and rear numbers. If the label is missing or unreadable, use the owner manual. The large PSI printed on the tire sidewall is a maximum limit for the tire, not the daily target for your car.

NHTSA describes a cold tire as one that has not been driven for at least three hours. That is the condition the label assumes. If you have to check after a drive, treat the higher reading as temporary context. Do not bleed a hot tire down to the cold number and then drive again; the pressure will drop as it cools.

Remove the valve cap and press the gauge straight onto the stem until the hissing stops. A poor seal dumps air and gives a fake low reading. Read the same tire twice if the first attempt leaked. Write the number before you move to the next corner. Compare each tire with the label for that axle, not with the other tires alone.

If a tire is low, add air in short bursts and recheck with the same gauge. If it is high, release air slowly with the gauge pin or the back of a valve tool. Stop and inspect instead of topping off when you see a nail, bulge, exposed cord, cracked valve, missing cap plus wetness, or a tire that loses pressure again overnight.

TPMS, the instrument cluster, and a manufacturer app are useful for trends. They are not the source of the recommended PSI. After you correct the pressure, some cars need a reset or a short drive before the light goes out. If the light stays on or blinks, the job is no longer a routine check.