What pressure should my tires be?

Recommended tire pressures vary with the size of the car and its tires. Based on normal tire sizes for each segment, small-sized car are usually 30 psi, medium-sized cars are 36 psi, and large cars are 42 psi.

Keep in mind that warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pressures by 4-6 psi.

Tires are considered “cold” when your car has been still for at least three hours or you’ve driven no more than 1.6 km.

The recommended cold tire pressure for your car can be found in the owner’s manual and on the tire label on the driver’s side center pillar.

Tires with too much or too little pressure wear unevenly. Unevenly worn tires can cause poor handling, loss of vehicle control, and sudden tire failures which could potentially lead to accidents, injuries, and even death. So you should check your tires at least once a month. Here’s how:

1) Prepare a good quality gauge to check tire pressure when the tire is cold. 

- You cannot tell if your tires are properly inflated simply by looking at them.

- Do not rely on the gauge on the air pump

2) Remove the valve cap from the tire valve.

3) Press the tire gauge onto the valve to get a pressure measurement. If the reading matches the recommended pressure, you are done.

4) If the pressure is too low, add air until you reach the recommended pressure.

If the pressure is too high, release air by pushing on the metal stern in the center of the tire valve.

5) Measure the tire pressure again with the tire gauge.

6) Be sure to place the valve caps back on the valves to help prevent leaks and keep out dirt and moisture.