How to Check Your Tire Pressure

Checking and maintaining proper tire pressure is easy! Just follow these simple steps:

1. Get an accurate tire gauge and keep it somewhere handy… like on your key ring or in your glove compartment.

Helpful hint: One Change recommends a reliable digital tire gauge, which can be found at Canadian Tire or other retailers in your area.

2. Find the proper tire pressure for your vehicle (in pounds per square inch or psi), which is usually found on a sticker in the driver’s side door jamb or the glove box, as well as in your owner’s manual.

Helpful hint: Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall.

3. Be sure you have an air pump handy—either at a local gas station or a portable air compressor at home.

Helpful hint: Most gas stations provide an air pump for customers to use for free. Even if they charge a nominal fee, the fuel and money you will save from maintaining proper tire pressure far outweighs the cost. For example, if you spend $100 a month on fuel and have to pay 50 cents each month to fill up your tires, you will still save about $40 in fuel per year!

4. Remove the small cap on your tire’s air valve and press your tire gauge onto the air valve to get your current air pressure reading. Psst!

Helpful hint: Be sure to check your tires while they are cold—when your vehicle hasn’t been used for at least 3 hours (and try not to drive more than 2 km or 1 mile before checking them). When your tires are warm from driving, the air inside expands and you won’t get an accurate pressure reading.

5. Compare your tire’s current air pressure with your vehicle’s proper pressure for that tire.
• If your tire pressure is too low, use the air pump to add some air to your tire.
• If your tire pressure is too high, use a hard object like a car key to push on the pin in your tire’s air valve and release some air. To avoid injury, do not use your finger and keep your face at a safe distance.

Helpful hint: Some tire gauges have a pin to release air pressure from your tires.

6. Re-check your tire pressure and add or remove air as needed until you reach the correct pressure for each tire. Once correct, don’t forget to replace your air valve cap.
7. Follow steps 4 through 6 for each tire on your vehicle (and don’t forget your spare tire). If you’re at a gas station, be sure to leave the air pump in a tidy manner for the next user.