Tire Safety Information
can safely carry and the vehicle's tire size. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle
is referred to as the "recommended cold inflation pressure." (As you will read
below, it is difficult to obtain the recommended tire pressure if your tires are not
cold.)
Because tires are designed to be used on more than one type of vehicle, tire
manufacturers list the "maximum permissible inflation pressure" on the tire
sidewall. This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be
put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE
It is important to check your vehicle's tire pressure at least once a month for the
following reasons:
Most tires may naturally lose air over time.
Tires can lose air suddenly if you drive over a pothole or other object or if you
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strike the curb when parking.
With radial tires, it is usually not possible to determine underinflation by visual
inspection.
For convenience, purchase a tire pressure gauge to keep in your vehicle. Gauges
can be purchased at tire dealerships, auto supply stores, and other retail outlets.
The recommended tire inflation pressure that vehicle manufacturers provide
reflects the proper psi when a tire is cold. The term cold does not relate to the
outside temperature. Rather, a cold tire is one that has not been driven on for at
least three hours. When you drive, your tires get warmer, causing the air pressure
within them to increase. Therefore, to get an accurate tire pressure reading, you
must measure tire pressure when the tires are cold or compensate for the extra
pressure in warm tires.
STEPS FOR MAINTAINING PROPER TIRE PRESSURE
Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure on the vehicle's tire information
placard, certification label, or in the owner's manual.
Step 2: Record the tire pressure of all tires.
Step 3: If the tire pressure is too high in any of the tires, slowly release air by
gently pressing on the tire valve stem with the edge of your tire gauge until you
get to the correct pressure.
Step 4: If the tire pressure is too low, note the difference between the
measured tire pressure and the correct tire pressure. These "missing" pounds
of pressure are what you will need to add.
Step 5: At a service station, add the missing pounds of air pressure to each
tire that is underinflated.
Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure
(except in cases in which the front and rear tires are supposed to have
different amounts of pressure).
If you have been driving your vehicle and think that a tire is underinflated, fill it to
the recommended cold inflation pressure indicated on your vehicle's tire