Checking your tyre pressure is an essential part of keeping your car safe on the road. This simple and easy part of your car maintenance does not have to be hard work and can ultimately save you both time and money in the long run.

When it comes to checking your car tyre pressure, we understand it can often feel like quite a minefield. When should you check it, how often and what exact amount of air to put in are all frequently asked questions. 

So here at Tyre Savings, we’ve compiled our tyre pressure guide, telling you everything you need to know about tyre pressure and ensuring you have all the information you need, meaning you can get the very best out of your tyres.

• What is Tyre Pressure & Why is it Important?
• What Tools Are Needed to Check Tyre Pressure?
• How Do I Check Tyre Pressure of Your Vehicle?
• What is TPMS & How Does It Work?
• How Do I Know If I Have Under or Over-Inflated Tyres?
• When Should Tyre Pressure Be Checked?
• What Should My Tyre Pressure Be?
• Tyre Pressure Chart for Popular Car Models
• How Temperature Affect Tyre Pressure?
• What Does Hot Temperature Affect Tyre Pressure?

What is Tyre Pressure & Why is it Important?

Tyre pressure is the amount of air that your tyres contain. This pressure is measured in BAR and Pounds per Square Inch (PSI). The right tyre pressure differs depending on your vehicle's make and model, as well as the size and types of tyres. To get the best performance you should follow the recommended tyre pressure by the manufacturer.

The safety of you and other road users is one reason you should maintain the right tyre pressure for your vehicle. Tyres with low pressure give poor handling and less traction which can result in road accidents and overinflated tyres are also as dangerous as underinflated tyres. 

Following the manufacturer's recommended tyre pressure helps your tyres extend their life, saving you money in the long run. It also keeps the tyres away from any unnecessary wear. Having low pressure in your tyres will wear out faster while high pressure will wear out your tyres from the centre of its tread.

What Tools Are Needed to Check Tyre Pressure?

Checking your vehicle tyre pressure is one of the essential steps to ensure safe driving. Not maintaining the right tyre pressure could give an invitation to wheel alignment problems, or even worse leading to accidents. 

Almost all modern vehicles come with a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) which shows your vehicle's tyre pressure on your dashboard screen. However, those vehicles which don’t come with TPMS, need to check the tyre pressure manually. There are two main tools you need to check your vehicle tyre pressure:

• Tyre Pressure Gauge

• Air Compressor

Tyre Pressure Gauge

A tyre pressure gauge is a tool to check the tyre pressure readings, it is also known as a pencil gauge. It’s a portable cheap device, which comes in analogue and digital models. You just need to insert them in the valve of the tyre, and seconds this will tell you how much pressure is in your tyre.

There are other gauges both analogue and digital which can attract directly to an air compressor hose which allows you to check the pressure and inflate your tyres at the same time.  

Air Compressor

As you check your tyre pressure, the next step is to inflate the tyres, if they are underinflated. You need an air compressor to fill the air in your tyres, there are air compressors in almost all petrol stations in the UK. 

You could also get yourself a portable air compressor which will help in emergencies. Ensure the air compressor is plugged into the 12-volt auxiliary power outlet and the air hose reaches all four tyres of your car.

How Do I Check Tyre Pressure of Your Vehicle?

Whether you have purchased your own tyre pressure gauge and inflator to use at home or tend to head to your local garage or petrol station, checking your tyre pressure and inflating your tyres is simple and easy. Follow these simple steps:

• Once near a tyre pressure gauge and inflator, take off your tyre dust cap

• Attach the pressure gauge to the dust cap and record the initial result

• If the gauge shows less than your recommended pressure, inflate your tyres according to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI or kPa. If your tyre is over the recommended pressure, you can adjust the gauge to reduce the air

• Once the tyre is at the correct pressure, secure the tyre dust cap back onto the tyre

It is worth noting that the measurement of tyre pressure can often change due to changes in the weather. When the weather is warmer, the tyre will expand due to increased pressure and when the weather is colder, tyres are likely to have lower pressure recordings. Keep this in mind when filling up your tyres on extra warm or cold days.

What is TPMS & How Does It Work?

As technology has advanced and our vehicles have become smarter at reporting issues, a vast number of models on UK roads are now fitted with tyre pressure monitoring systems, or TPMS for short. These handy electronic systems monitor your tyre pressure for you and alert you when the pressure levels fall before they get too dangerously low.

There are two types of sensors being used today, direct TPMS and indirect TPMS.

Direct TPMS functions using a sensor which is fitted in the wheel of each tyre. This measures each individual tyre and monitors when the air pressure drops below the manufacturer’s recommended level. The triggered sensor then sends signals to the car’s electronic system and lights up the dashboard indicator light.

However, indirect TPMS instead functions by working with the Antilock-Braking System’s (ABS) speed sensors located in the wheel. When the tyre pressure is too low, it ensures the wheel speed rolls differently from that of the other functioning tyres. This is then detected by your car’s electronic system and triggers the dashboard indicator light.

The importance of driving on the roads with the correct tyre pressure was amplified when the law was introduced in January 2015, stating that any car manufactured from 2012 onwards displaying a TPMS fault during its MOT, will automatically result in a test failure.

It’s for that reason that we recommend getting your TPMS sensors serviced at the same time you have your tyres changed, this avoids common problems such as battery failure for those who find themselves covering more miles.

How Do I Know If I Have Under or Over-Inflated Tyres?

Driving on the roads with under-inflated or over-inflated tyres can severely affect the safety of your vehicle’s handling. This puts both you as the driver, your passengers and others on the road at risk.

A correctly inflated tyre makes balanced contact with the surface of the road, minimising the effects on the worn-out tread and ensuring your tyres are not only safer but last longer too. Below we’ve highlighted the key signs and risks of having both under or over-inflated tyres.

Underinflated Tyre Signs & Risks:

• Creates poor handling for the driver

• Reduced overall performance of your car

• Increases fuel consumption

• Creates an unbalanced contact on the road surface

• Excessive wear at the edges of the tyre

Overinflated Tyre Signs & Risks:

• Loss of traction and poor grip

• Road hazards such as potholes create more damage

• Noisy sound whilst driving

• Excessive wear in the centre of the tyre

• When driving at speed, highly pressured tyres are more likely to blow out.

When Should Tyre Pressure Be Checked?

For many of us, we only tend to check our tyre pressure when things look or sound a little off. As much as this is a great tell-tale sign that something is wrong, checking your tyres should be done on a regular basis to ensure they are working to their full potential. After all, we all want the smoothest drive possible.

At Tyre Savings, our experts recommend checking your tyres once every month to support long tyre health. However, it is also worth checking your tyres before longer journeys and when planning to drive on different terrains. Be sure to look out for small punctures, tears, and other damage that may affect your overall driving performance.

What Should My Tyre Pressure Be?

When it comes to tyre pressure, it is important to understand that every make and model of vehicle is different. Whether you have Michelin tyres on your Mercedes or Continental tyres on your Citroen, one thing that rarely differs is what tyre pressure is measured in. Here in the UK, our tyre pressure is usually measured in Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI) or less frequently Kilopascals (kPa) and Bar.

You will find the car manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure on the inside ledge of the driver’s door or within your owner’s manual. In some models, it can also be found within the petrol or diesel cap or located in the boot. The measurements are also often different for front and back tyres, so it is worth noting those down.

If you still feel a little perplexed and are unsure of what your tyre pressure should be, you can also find out by entering your make, model and vehicle into the Tyre Safe ‘Check Your Pressures’ Tool.

And if you’re looking to understand more about your tyre labelling including speed and load rating, we’ve created a handy guide which explains it all in detail.

Tyre Pressure Chart for Popular Car Models

Car Model	Front Tyre Pressure	Rear Tyre Pressure
Ford Fiesta	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR	26 PSI / 1.8 BAR
Fiat 500	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR	30 PSI / 2.06 BAR
Vauxhall Corsa	31 PSI / 2.1 BAR	31 PSI / 2.1 BAR
Mini Cooper	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR	30 PSI / 2.06 BAR
Peugeot 208	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR	26 PSI / 1.8 BAR
Ford Focus	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR
BMW 1 Series	41 PSI / 2.8 BAR	41 PSI / 2.8 BAR
Peugeot 2008	31 PSI / 2.2 BAR	39 PSI / 2.7 BAR
Audi A3	36 PSI / 2.5 BAR	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR
Volkswagen Polo	38 PSI / 2.6 BAR	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR
Audi A6 e-tron	36 PSI / 2.5 BAR	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR
Audi Q6 e-tron	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR	38 PSI / 2.6 BAR
BMW 5 Series	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR
Ferrari Purosangue	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR	36 PSI / 2.5 BAR
Fiat Panda	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR	29 PSI / 2 BAR
Ford Mustang	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR
Honda CR-V	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR	30 PSI / 2.1 BAR
Hyundai Ioniq 6	36 PSI / 2.5 BAR	36 PSI / 2.5 BAR
Kia EV9	42 PSI / 2.9 BAR	42 PSI / 2.9 BAR
Maserati Gran Turismo	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR
Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance	42 PSI / 2.9 BAR	39 PSI / 2.7 BAR
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV	41 PSI / 2.8 BAR	48 PSI / 3.3 BAR
Peugeot e-308	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR	35 PSI / 2.4 BAR
Polestar 3	41 PSI / 2.8 BAR	41 PSI / 2.8 BAR
Rolls-Royce Spectre	30 PSI / 2.06 BAR	32 PSI / 2.2 BAR
Vauxhall Astra	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR	33 PSI / 2.3 BAR
Volvo EX90	38 PSI / 2.6 BAR	38 PSI / 2.6 BAR

How Temperature Affect Tyre Pressure?

Air expands as the temperature increases and contracts when the temperature decreases. This is the reason why you see fluctuations in tyre pressure in different weather conditions. For example, if you maintain the recommended tyre pressure at 24°C, but in the afternoon temperature rises to 30°C, the tyre pressure will increase which is not the right PSI specification. 

You will get a warning notification on your dashboard for overinflation tyres if your vehicle has a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Even though you had your tyres filled with the correct PSI, the temperature change can unexpectedly inflate or deflate all your tyres. 

What Does Cold Temperature Affect Tyre Pressure?

For every 10 degrees of temperature drop, your tyres will deflate 1 to 2 PSI at most. It is important to maintain tyre pressure to the recommended PSI to maintain friction. So expect the tyre pressure drop of about 3 PSI if the temperature decreases by 30°C from the last pressure adjustment. 

In this situation, it is completely normal to deviate from the manufacturer-recommended PSI levels to improve the longevity and performance of the tyres. 

In case of cold weather, if you use your vehicle too often then once a week check the tyre pressure, and most of the time your tyres are deflated due to colder weather. So, inflate all your tyres with just more than 1 to 2 PSI from its recommended tyre pressure. Overall, underinflated tyres reduce the efficiency of the vehicle. 

What Does Hot Temperature Affect Tyre Pressure?

If you inflate your tyres to their recommended tyre pressure during hot weather, you will notice an increase in tyre pressure after driving for a few kilometres. Reduce your tyre pressure by a little more than 2 PSI from the recommended tyre pressure by the manufacturer. Ensure to adjust the tyre pressure only when the tyres are at normal temperature otherwise the tyre gauge will give you incorrect readings. 

If you know the temperature will drop, you can adjust the tyre pressure earlier to improve the performance and reduce tyre wear. For example, On summer days, when you take your car for a long trip you can adjust the tyre pressure by about 1 to 2 PSI lower from its recommended tyre pressure. Overall, it improves the efficiency of the car and gives a comfortable driving experience.

Disclaimer: All the information mentioned in the article is intended for reference purposes only. So don’t take it as a fact or authoritative. Tyre pressure can vary based on a variety of factors. For example, if you are driving your vehicle off-road then you may need to reduce the pressure lower than the recommended PSI so that you can get the maximum traction. We take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or discrepancies that may be present within the article.