GarageDex

How to Check Tire Pressure

Reviewed by GarageDex editorial

GarageDex's guide to checking tire pressure covers the mistake most people make: using the number on the tire. That figure is the tire's maximum. The pressure your car needs is on the label inside the driver's door jamb, and it is usually 30 to 36 PSI for cars and higher for trucks. Check it cold, once a month, and the spare too.

For your exact carReset the tire pressure light on your carLook it up

Step by step

  1. Find the correct pressure on the label inside the driver's door jamb (or the fuel door or glovebox on some cars). It lists front and rear PSI, and sometimes a different figure for a full load. Ignore the number on the tire sidewall: that is the tire's maximum, not your car's setting.
  2. Check when the tires are cold: parked for at least three hours, or driven less than a mile. Driving warms the air inside and raises the reading.
  3. Unscrew the valve cap, press the gauge squarely onto the valve stem until the hissing stops, and read it. Do it twice if the first reading looks odd.
  4. Add air in short bursts and re-check. If you overshoot, press the small pin in the valve with the back of the gauge to let some out.
  5. Repeat on all four tires and the spare, refit the caps, and note the date. Check monthly and before long trips.

Finding the right number

The tire placard is a sticker on the driver's door jamb on nearly every car sold since the 2000s. It shows the original tire size and the cold inflation pressure for front, rear and spare. If your car has different sizes front and rear, the pressures may differ too. If the placard is missing, the owner's manual has the same table.

What you need

A gauge you trust. The gauges built into gas-station air machines are often off by several PSI. A digital or a good dial gauge costs little and lives in the glovebox. A 12-volt inflator means you never need the gas station at all.

Tools used in this guide

  • Digital tire pressure gaugeReads to 0.5 PSI; the gas-station gauge often does notView on Amazon
  • Portable tire inflatorRuns off the car's 12 V socket and stops at a set pressureView on Amazon

These tools fit any vehicle. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

The spare

Compact spares usually call for 60 PSI, far higher than the road tires, and they lose air sitting in the trunk for years. Check it at the same time; a flat spare is the most common surprise on the shoulder of the road.

If the light stays on

After inflating, most cars clear the warning within a few miles of driving. Some need a reset step that varies by make. Find the tire pressure light reset procedure for your make. A light that flashes for a minute at start-up and then stays on means a sensor fault, not low pressure.

Frequently asked

What PSI should my tires be?

Whatever the label inside the driver's door jamb says for your car, typically 30 to 36 PSI for passenger cars and crossovers, higher for pickups and vans. The number on the tire sidewall is the maximum the tire can hold, not a recommendation.

Why is my tire pressure light still on after adding air?

Either one tire is still below the threshold (check the spare too, some cars monitor it), or the system needs a short drive or a reset to re-read the sensors. Most cars clear it within a few miles; some need a reset button or a menu step, which differs by make.

Does tire pressure change with the weather?

Yes. Pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10 degrees F the temperature falls, which is why the light often comes on during the first cold morning of autumn. It also drifts down slowly through normal seepage, roughly 1 PSI a month.

Is it better to over-inflate or under-inflate?

Neither, but under-inflation is the more damaging and more common one: it overheats the tire, wears the shoulders, hurts fuel economy and is the leading cause of tire failures. A couple of PSI over the label is harmless; running at the sidewall maximum makes the ride harsh and wears the center of the tread.

Need your car's exact spec?

Reset the tire pressure light on your car