Are you about to inflate your tires but don’t know what tire pressure to use in your vehicle?
Understanding what the correct tire pressure should be in your car tires is very important. Especially now a days with the tire pressure monitoring systems in many modern cars, if you run the wrong tire pressure you will see a TPMS “tire pressure monitoring system” warning light on your dashboard.
In this article, I will go over how you figure out the right tire pressure and provide some tips on tire pressure too.
How to find the correct tire pressure for your car?
The quickest and easiest way to determine your car’s tire pressure is to check the label you’ll find by the door lock when you open the driver’s door.
Simply follow these steps to know what your car’s correct tire pressure should be:
#1. Check the label behind the driver’s door.
On almost all cars, if you open the driver’s door, you’ll find a label. Most of the time, this label will show you the tire pressure based on the original (factory) tire sizes and how much you should inflate the tire based on your load weight.
Some cars may not have this label, and in this case, you will have to resort in a different manner.
#2. Check Service Manual.
Almost always, you will receive a service manual when you buy a car describing the basic functioning of the car.
Usually, this manual is found in the glove box with the other manuals. In this service manual, you can usually find what fluids to fill in your car and for recommended tire pressures.
If you’ve lost this service manual, then you might want to go to the next step.
#3. VIN decoder.
There are a ton of free VIN decoders on the internet. The downside is that you will first have to find the VIN of your vehicle. You can usually locate the VIN in one of a few places; below the front windshield, in the trunk, or under the hood.
There are even some US car part finder websites now that have an option of looking up your VIN by providing your license plate number, which is then used to find the actual tire pressure for your vehicle.
#4. Call Your Authorized Dealer.
If you still do not feel confident that you have found the correct tire pressure using the above strategies, or even the VIN decoder, you can always call your local authorized dealer for your car make/model/brand.
Your authorized dealer is usually pretty good at being able to gather the proper tire pressure information in no time flat, and you will not have spent any more effort trying to locate it.
What does cold tire inflation pressure mean?
Tire labels often mention “cold tire inflation pressure,” which refers to the tire pressure based on the ambient temperature with low load while the tires are cool.
The temperature of the air in your tires fluctuates depending on the air temperature of the tire itself. If you drive a long distance, especially in warm conditions, the rolling friction generates heat, which attributes to a pressure change in your tire – adding pressure.
So what happens when you air the tires up to 36 psi/2.5 bar after that long warm drive? The pressure will probably drop to ~32 psi/2.2 bar (when tires cool down) when driving. This causes your vehicle to run with insufficient tire pressure after the tires have cooled.
This is why it is stated cold inflation pressure, and as to the importance of measuring tire pressure when tires are cold.
Is it better to have slightly low or slightly exceeded tire pressure?
I generally advise you to put 1-2 PSI, or 0.07-0.14, above the recommended tire pressure. This is due to many modern cars coming with some sort of a tire pressure monitoring system, and these sensors are sensitive.
For example, on some cars, there is only a slight difference between recommended pressure and pressure your TPMS system thinks is too low. TPMS is sensitive to such pressure discrepancies, and you may find you end up with a TPMS warning light on your dashboard.
As you may know, tire pressure is pressure-dependent on temperature, and to ensure the tire pressure light does not come on directly after you inflate the tire, it is good to have a little over recommended.
Any time, I would choose too high than too low tire pressure.
How to find the tire pressure with aftermarket rims or tire size on my car?
To find the tire pressure, if you have aftermarket rims or tires, either ask the place that sold the tires for the most accurate pressure or you can find this list down below for a very general tire pressure chart. This is simply a list you can use for a thumb rule and not recommended tire pressure.
- Small Car, normal tire size: (around 185/55 – 15) ~ 2.1 bar (30 psi)
- Medium Car, normal tire size: (around 195/55 – 16) ~ 2.5 bar (36 psi)
- Large car, normal tire size: (around 245/55 – 18) 2.9 bar (42 psi)
In general, the bigger the rims or lower the tire profile you have, you should use a higher tire pressure.
What is the correct tire pressure for my car?
The question about the correct tire pressure isn’t an uncommon one because it varies based on the car. Pickup trucks and full-size SUVs inflate their tires to a much higher pressure then smaller hatchbacks.
In fact, higher tire pressure is necessary for luggage or carry loads in the trunk or on the roof of the vehicle. You can locate the specific and accurate tire pressure values on the label inside of the drivers door. You can also find this information from the owners manual or on the Internet.
Is 40 psi tire pressure good?
40 PSI is a safe tire pressure for a larger SUV or a car with lower profile tires. Also, when fully loaded, the rear tires may need to be around this range.
However, not all makes and models are the same as recommended tire pressures vary depending on the make and model of tire. It is very important for the car’s safety and performance to inflate to the recommended pressure.
Is 36 psi too high for tires?
If you have a medium-sized vehicle, then 36 psi is likely the correct tire pressure. This would usually be true for cars riding on a 16-inch wheel with a size of 205/55 R16.
However, this would be too high for all compact cars fitted with tire sizes smaller than this. On the other hand, for larger suvs or pickup trucks, this would be slightly underinflated, as these vehicles usually run at 40 psi.
What tire pressure is too low?
Tire pressure is regarded too low when it is below the manufacturer-recommended level, which is usually affixed on a sticker inside the driver’s side door, or can be referenced in the owner’s manual.
Additionally, most new cars have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that reads the pressure in all four tires. If any of the tire pressures is low, the TPMS will alert the driver with a message.
Having tires inflated to the manufacturer’s suggested level is important for vehicle performance, safety, and gas mileage. Low tires lead to poor gas mileage and worse handling, while excessive pressure leads to reduced grip and the potential for blow outs.
The pressure to which tires should be inflated differ by make and model, and you can find exact and accurate tire pressure values on a sticker inside the driver’s side door, in the owner’s manual, or you can surmise this information from the Internet.