How to check tire pressure
The tire light came on during the first cold week of fall. Buy a small tire gauge, find your car's recommended pressure on the sticker in the driver's door frame, and check each tire before driving, when the tires are cold. Press the gauge onto the valve, read it, add air at a gas station pump in short bursts, and recheck until it matches the sticker.
Why it matters: It takes three minutes a month and prevents blowouts and uneven wear.
Steps
- Keep a small tire gauge in the glove box.
- Find the recommended pressure on the sticker inside the driver's door frame; front and rear may differ.
- Check before driving or after the car has sat for a few hours.
- Unscrew the valve cap, press the gauge on firmly and straight, and read the number.
- At a gas station pump, add air in short bursts, checking with your gauge each time.
- If you overfill, press the small pin in the valve briefly to let air out, then recheck.
- Put the caps back, check the spare too, and repeat monthly.
Common mistakes
- Filling to the number on the tire's sidewall, which is a maximum, not the target.
- Kicking the tire instead of measuring.
- Waiting for the dashboard light, which often comes on only when a tire is well low.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to check tire pressure
What to say
The tire light came on during the first cold week of fall. Buy a small tire gauge, find your car's recommended pressure on the sticker in the driver's door frame, and check each tire before driving, when the tires are cold. Press the gauge onto the valve, read it, add air at a gas station pump in short bursts, and recheck until it matches the sticker.
What to show
- Keep a small tire gauge in the glove box.
- Find the recommended pressure on the sticker inside the driver's door frame; front and rear may differ.
- Check before driving or after the car has sat for a few hours.
- Unscrew the valve cap, press the gauge on firmly and straight, and read the number.
- At a gas station pump, add air in short bursts, checking with your gauge each time.
- If you overfill, press the small pin in the valve briefly to let air out, then recheck.
- Put the caps back, check the spare too, and repeat monthly.
Check question
Why does the tire light often come on during the first cold mornings?
Answer: Cold air lowers tire pressure. Air pressure drops as temperatures fall, so tires read lower.
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Related skills
Sources
- US national highway traffic safety guidance for drivers, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .