It's important that your tyre pressure is at the right level.
After all, it's your tyres that are actually keeping the car on the road.
Well . . . and the engine, and the brakes, and the suspension.
But not to worry, because in this article, we're going to be telling you how to inflate (and deflate) car tyres, and how often you should do it.
What is the Correct Tyre Pressure?
There's no one-number-fits-all here, as you'll have to check what the correct pressure is for your specific car.
Hint: you're not going to find that information on the actual tyres!
Instead, you'll usually find the recommended PSI level printed on the inside of one of your car doors, on the inside of your fuel cap, or in the vehicle handbook (which can be found in your car's glove compartment).
Note also that the correct pressure for your front and rear tyres is probably going to be different.
How To Use Tyre Pressure Machine: At a Garage
Most petrol stations offer a tyre inflator machine, so for a great number of drivers, that's the most accessible way to go about it.
Here's what you have to do:
1.) Set the machine to the desired pressure level (PSI)
2.) Remove the valve caps on each wheel
3.) Now for the actual inflating . . . Lift the gauge off the machine and insert it onto your tyre valve, pressing the trigger in short bursts. (Don't worry about the hissing sound. That's perfectly normal)
4.) Stop when you hear a beeping sound, indicating that the right pressure has been reached (or you can check it manually yourself)
5.) Put the valve caps back on
6.) Repeat for each tyre
Just be aware that you'll likely have to pay for every 5 minutes that you use the machine (don't worry, it's usually only around 50p), which is why you're better off removing the valve caps BEFORE you inflate the tyres.
The timer will typically begin at stage 3, once you remove the gauge from the machine.
At Home
Or if you'd rather not have to keep popping down to the nearest petrol station to check your tyres, then you can opt for a portable air pump at home.
There's plenty floating about online, and you should be able to find them in most accessory stores without too much trouble. Also in some supermarkets.
It's the same process as doing it at the petrol station. Just follow the steps above as if you were doing it at the air pump system down at Tesco or Morrisons.
How to Release Air From Tyres
There's cases when there may actually be too much air already in your tyres, meaning they need to be deflated.
In which case, it's much the same process as inflating the tyres.
Again, first you want to set the machine to the desired level, and then it's just a case of lifting the gauge off and inserting it onto the tyre valve.
Only difference is that you'll want to keep gently moving the nozzle in and out of the valve in order to release some air, and doing so until the PSI reading reaches the recommended level.
What Happens If My Tyres Aren't Inflated Properly?
Bad, bad things.
Only joking . . .
Truth is: you might get away with driving on underinflated or overinflated tyres for a good old while, but it can eventually catch up on both you and your car.
Here are the consequences:
If your tyres are underinflated
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You'll use up more fuel
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Your tyres will wear out faster (as much as 20%)
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Increased CO₂ emissions
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More hazardous road handling
If your tyres are overinflated
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Their lifetime is reduced due to accelerated wear in the central part of the tread
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More hazardous road handling
When Should Your Tyre Pressure Be Checked?
About once every month should hit the sweet spot, but if you can do it more often than that, then all the better.
Obviously, if you aren't driving your car at all during that time or only for very short intervals, then you can probably get away with checking the tyre pressure every second or even every third month.
You also don't want to check your tyre pressure and inflate tyres after they've just been on the road, especially following a long car journey.
That's because warm tyres (i.e., ones which have just been driven on) tend to give an incorrect PSI reading. So park up and at least wait 5 or 10 minutes.
What About My Spare Wheel?
The spare wheel (if you have one) should also be checked for the correct pressure.
But obviously you're not using it, so this can be done much less often.
Summary
So yes, any driving career is going to involve a lot of inflating and deflating of tyres, so hopefully we've filled your head with the knowledge on how to do it and when.
As always, happy driving.
FAQs
How do I know how much air to put in my car tyres?
You can find the recommended tyre pressure for your car in your vehicle handbook or on a sticker that's printed either in the sill of the driver's door or on the inside of the fuel tank flap. The recommended tyre pressure for your front and rear tyres is likely going to be different.
Can you inflate car tyres at home?
Certainly can. To do so, you'll have to buy your own portable tyre pressure pump, which you can find at most accessory stores and some supermarkets. Simply set the tyre pressure gauge to the recommended PSI, and then connect it to the tyre valve.
How do you inflate tyres at a petrol station?
Set the machine to the desired PSI level, and after removing the valve caps, insert the gauge from the machine into each tyre valve, pressing the trigger in short bursts. You'll hear a beeping sound when each tyre is at the right level, after which you can put the valve caps back on.