Measure Tire Pressure in Cold Weather

Proper pressure in your vehicle tires helps to ensure that you will be driving a safe vehicle and that your vehicle will work more efficiently. The correct tire pressure can also help you to save money on fuel because over- or underinflated tires can cause your engine to work harder. Underinflated tires can wear out faster and cause your vehicle to handle poorly. They can also overheat and result in a tire blowout, which could affect the control you have of your vehicle. In addition, proper tire inflation can help your car handle better during road conditions that are less than optimum, such as road ice or snow or standing water. Checking your tire pressure is a very simple process that takes only one instrument and a source of air.

Steps

  1. Locate the raised writing on the side of your vehicle's tires.
  2. Find the text that reads, "recommended PSI" or some similar text (PSI is "pounds per square inch" ["pascal" or Pa]) or refer to your owner's manual or tire dealer for your particular tires. The recommended PSI is sometimes also located on a door sticker.
  3. Check your tire inflation level (PSI) in cold weather before driving your vehicle, when the car is cold (sitting for a minimum of 3 hours). Driving causes the PSI to increase, making the reading inaccurate if tested after driving.
  4. Remove the valve-stem cap on 1 or all 4 tires (you will check all 4 tires).
  5. Press your air-pressure gauge evenly over the valve stem until air stops escaping.
  6. Read the pressure indicated on the metered stick that comes out of the gauge or on the digital screen of your digital gauge.
  7. Repeat this process on the rest of your vehicle's tires.
  8. Record the PSI readings for each of your tires.
  9. Drive to the nearest gas station or auto garage if your tires are underinflated that has an air supply. Try to not drive more than {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} if possible so that your tires do not heat up and cause an inaccurate reading or inflation.
  10. Park your vehicle so that the air hose from the gas station or auto garage will reach all 4 tires.
  11. Remove all caps from the valve stems.
  12. Recheck the pressure in all 4 tires and check the readings against your original readings. This will give you an idea of the difference from driving and help you add the proper amount of air.
  13. Fit the air-hose onto 1 of your tire stems until air stops leaking.
  14. Release air into your tire by either squeezing the handle on the hose or allowing the hose assembly to do it automatically.
  15. Remove the hose periodically and recheck the pressure with your own gauge (public gauges can wear with time and produce inaccurate readings).
  16. Continue to inflate your tire until you reach the recommended PSI.
  17. Replace the caps on the valve stems.
  18. Recheck your tire pressure each week during the cold weather.

Tips

  • Checking tires in cold weather is pretty much the same as checking in hot weather; however, cold weather will cause the air inside your tires to contract, making the tires underinflated, and hot weather will cause the air to expand, making your tires over inflated. It is always best to check your tires when they are cold and have not been driven to get an accurate reading.

Warnings

  • Some sources will tell you to under- or overinflate your tires depending on the season or driving conditions; however, this is false information and could be dangerous. Never purposely under- or overinflate your tires.
  • Never exceed the PSI recommendation on your tires and never release air from your tires during hot weather when they are overinflated. This is normal and the pressure will return to its correct reading when the tires cool.

Things You'll Need

  • Air-pressure gauge (digital or stick meter)
  • Air source (gas station or auto garage)
  • Owner's manual

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Sources and Citations

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