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How to Check Your Tire Pressure

2,372 views · Published 19 February 2013 · 1:39 · Indexed 1 November 2026

Channel: Car Coach Reports · 2013 · Autos & Vehicles

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With all the headlines about tires these days, you'd think drivers would take better care them. Well I understand some people are just a little bit confused. Think about it this way: no matter what vehicle you drive, there are just four things touching the ground.

That's four tires with a contact patch about the size of your fist. That means that only about that much of the rubber of the tire touches the ground, so we need to check your tire pressure once a month, and that includes your spare tire.

How do you do that? Never ever use that number on the sidewall, that's the wrong number. You want to use the number on the door placard, which is in your driver's door, your gas door, your glove box, or in your owner's manual.

You want to use a digital tire pressure gauge or a stick gauge. It's real easy to do. Once you've got that correct information, you take the valve stem cover off and check your tire pressure.

In order to get the right tire pressure check the tires when they are cold, that means you haven't driven anywhere on them. That's when you want to add the correct tire pressure.

Now once you've done that, you want to also investigate the tire tread. Take a quarter, like we were told when we were kids, put the head of Washington right into the tread. If you can see the top of his head, it's time to get new tires.

Now also keep in mind, if you drive in snowy climates at least three times per year it's a good idea to get snow tires on all four wheels. All four tires should be replaced.

Courtesy of YNN/Time Warner Cable
Aired: 2/15/2011

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