How to check tyre pressure

Check pressure when the tyres are cold, using a gauge and the figures specified by the manufacturer for your car. Also check the full-load setting if applicable: do not inflate every car to the same number of bar.

Find the correct figure

Find the table in the owner’s handbook or on the vehicle label, often on the door pillar or inside the fuel flap. Pressure may vary with tyre size and load. Use the figure for the tyres fitted and your journey conditions; do not confuse it with the maximum printed on the sidewall.

Check every wheel, including the spare if there is one, and note the specified front and rear pressures. A TPMS may warn of pressure loss, but it does not replace regular checks with a gauge. If you have fitted a different tyre size, ask a tyre specialist which row of the table applies.

Measure when cold

Park the car and let the tyres cool; heat from driving raises pressure and can distort the comparison. Automobile Club Parma uses tyres stationary for at least two hours, or a short journey at low speed, as a guide. Still follow your vehicle handbook’s procedure.

Remove the valve cap, press the gauge firmly onto the valve and read it without tilting the connector. If you need to add or release air, do it in small steps and measure again. Repeat for each wheel, then replace the caps to help protect the valves from dirt and moisture.

Interpret the reading

Pressure outside the specified range can increase wear and affect handling and comfort. Do not correct a hot tyre by deflating it to the cold figure: if you checked after driving, measure again when cold as instructed in the handbook. If pressure loss recurs, seek assistance instead of continuing to top it up.

If the pressure warning light comes on, stop somewhere safe and inspect the tyres. A puncture, bulge or very flat tyre needs assistance, not a long journey. After adjustment, the system may need to be reset as described in the handbook; do not ignore a persistent warning.

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