What Should My Tire Pressure Be? | Clearcover Insurance

It's no secret: a lot goes into maintaining your car to keep you as safe as possible on the road—from oil changes and tune-ups to fluid top-offs and everything in between. However, one aspect of maintaining your car that often gets overlooked is taking care of its tires.

Whether your tires are worn, haven't been rotated in years, or simply aren't inflated properly, driving with tire issues puts you and others at risk. One of the easiest things you can do to take care of your tires is to ensure they're inflated to the correct pressure.

Fortunately, checking your tires' air pressure and adding or removing air as needed is relatively quick and simple. In this article, we'll walk you through some methods for checking your tire pressure and explain the importance of keeping your tires properly inflated at their recommended tire pressure.

How To Check Tire Pressure

There are two methods for checking tire pressure, depending on your car's age and features. Both methods will provide you with a PSI reading, which is a measurement of pounds of force per square inch. The recommended PSI for a vehicle's tires is equal to the minimum air pressure needed to support the vehicle at its maximum load.

Use a Tire Gauge

No matter the age of your vehicle or its features, you can always use a trusty tool known as a tire pressure gauge to check your PSI. It's a good idea to keep one of these in your car's emergency kit, though many gas station air compressors also have these built in and available for use.

To check your tire pressure using a tire gauge, start by removing the valve cap from the tire itself. Then, place the pressure gauge firmly over the valve stem and press down until you hear a small hiss. From there, you can obtain your reading.

Tire pressure readings can be digital or standard. With a digital gauge, a small screen will automatically display the PSI when you take the measurement. Standard gauges require a little more effort to determine the PSI reading. Specifically, a small bar will push out from the bottom of the gauge when you take the measurement. You'll then need to read the PSI unit that matches up with the bar. To ensure an accurate reading, it's not a bad idea to double-check the measurement on each tire—especially if you're using a standard gauge.

Check Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (Built-in Technology)

Another option for checking your tire pressure is using your car's built-in tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). As of September 2007, all cars in the US are required by law to have a TPMS. So if your car is a 2008 model year or newer, it should come standard with a TPMS system that will alert you if your tire pressure falls too low. In some models, the system will even allow you to check the current PSI for each of your tires from your dashboard. This can save you the hassle of getting out of your car, removing valve stems, and checking the pressure manually with a gauge.

The exact process for checking your tire pressure using TPMS technology will vary from one make and model to the next, so it's best to refer to your owner's manual for specific instructions. However, in most cases, you'll check your tire pressure using controls mounted to your steering wheel or on your infotainment display.

Understanding Recommended Tire Pressure

Knowing how to check the air pressure in your car's tires is just the first step—you'll also need to know the recommended PSI for your car, as this can vary between models. Generally, most passenger cars will recommend inflating to anywhere from 32 to 35 PSI. But, you can take some simple steps to determine the exact recommendation for your vehicle.

One option is to check the sticker located on the inside of your driver's side door. This sticker will provide you with a PSI recommendation for your front and rear tires. Oftentimes, the recommendations for the front tires are the same as the rear tires. However, this is not always the case, so it's important to check closely. Another way to find your car's recommended PSI is to refer to your owner's manual.

4 Benefits of Maintaining the Correct Tire Pressure

No matter where you find it, keeping your tires at their recommended PSI is important. After all, this is the PSI that your vehicle manufacturer has found to achieve the best overall tire performance. There are a handful of benefits you can enjoy by maintaining the right tire pressure, including:

1) Better Gas Mileage

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can improve your fuel efficiency by up to 3% by keeping your tires inflated to the correct pressure. Likewise, your gas mileage could drop by up to 0.2% for each PSI lost—which could add up to a lot of money wasted at the pump.

2) Safer Driving Conditions

Probably the most important benefit of keeping your tires at the right PSI is that driving with the wrong tire pressure also create unsafe conditions behind the wheel. For example, underinflation may increase stopping distance and reduce handling. As a result, you could be at greater risk of getting into an accident. Tires with low PSI’s are also more prone to hydroplaning, even in small amounts of water.

On the other hand, overinflation can be just as dangerous. Overinflated tires have a higher risk of blowing out, so be sure to keep your PSI at or slightly below the maximum recommended pressure.

3) Less Wear and Tear on Your Tires

Keeping your tires properly inflated doesn't just help with performance—it can also extend tire life. This is because tires inflated to the correct PSI will wear more evenly, which means they'll last longer. This is especially true if you keep up with other important tire maintenance tasks, like regular tire rotations to ensure even tire wear.

4) Less Toxic Emissions

It might surprise you to learn that your tire pressure can affect your car's emissions. When your tires are properly inflated, your fuel economy increases. This means your car can travel farther without burning as much fuel, resulting in fewer emissions. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a driver can reduce their carbon footprint by 327 pounds per year simply by maintaining proper tire pressure.

Tips for Extending Your Tires' Lifespan

With the average cost to replace even one tire hovering between $100 and $300, it makes sense to want to extend their lifespan. Fortunately, with proper care and maintenance, most tires will last for several years before needing to be replaced. (Your tires should last 50,000-60,000 miles depending on age and use.)

Still, here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to getting the most mileage out of your tires:

Check tire pressure at least once a month (and add air as needed).
Schedule regular tire rotations per the recommendations in your owner's manual.
Have your wheels balanced and aligned as needed.
Drive carefully and avoid harsh acceleration or braking when possible.
Keep your car parked in the shade (when possible) to reduce sun exposure.

By following these tips, drivers should be able to better determine when it's time to replace their tires for their own safety. If the tires are more than five years old or are bald (smooth or without tread), you should replace them. You can check the tread on your tires using a method known as the penny test: If you stick a penny upside down into your tire tread, you should not be able to see the top of Abraham Lincoln's head. If you can, your tread is probably too low. When in doubt, consult a trusted mechanic.

If you’re interested in more car maintenance tips, check out these 7 Important Car Maintenance Safety Tips.

Keep Your Car Protected with Clearcover

Maintaining proper tire pressure can give you added confidence and peace of mind when the rubber meets the road (literally). From determining the recommended PSI for your tires, to knowing how to check your air pressure accurately, being proactive about your vehicle's tires goes a long way.

At Clearcover, we believe you should be rewarded for being a safe driver. And while life is never straightforward, car insurance can—and should— be 100% clear. Start your quote today to take control of your coverage and see what you can save with Clearcover.