October is Tyre Safety Month which aims to shed light on the important role tyres play in road safety. The flagship annual campaign by TyreSafe sets out to educate motorists on the importance of tyre safety, engage with motorists throughout the course of the month and support positive behavioural changes that motorists need to make when it comes to tyre maintenance. The campaign’s vision is: zero harm to road users as a result of illegal or poorly maintained tyres.
To keep tyres safe, they must be properly maintained to ensure they are fit for the road. One of the key aspects of tyre maintenance, and the main focus for the first week of Tyre Safety Month is tyre pressure. Having correctly maintained tyres plays a huge part in avoiding accidents and improving the performance of a vehicle. When it comes to tyre pressure, it is important to ensure you are always driving with your tyres set to the correct pressure for your vehicle and load. This not only keeps you and other motorists safe, but will also extend the life of your tyres.
What Should My Tyre Pressure Be?
A number of factors should be considered when it comes to determining the correct tyre pressure for your vehicle. The required pressure is based on the vehicle’s weight and size, the size of your tyres, along with external factors like road conditions, outdoor temperatures and how much load is being carried.
Vehicle manufacturers always provide the recommended tyre pressure for the vehicle which can be found in your car’s manual, within the driver-side door frame, or in the fuel filler door. Tyre pressure should always be set to the recommended PSI for the vehicle, however, sometimes adjustments need to be made:
Carrying extra load: If you’re carrying more weight than usual in your vehicle, for example you’re moving home, or you have additional passengers and luggage for a holiday, adjustments to your tyre pressure will need to be made to accommodate for the extra load. Additional load affects your driving in many ways, and in a scenario like this, tyre pressure should be increased to help maintain the tyre’s contact with the road.
Extremely hot or cold temperatures: Hot and cold temperatures can affect your tyre pressure due to the air inside the tyres reacting to the change in temperature. Cold weather can cause tyre pressure to drop as the air inside the tyre contracts. Hot weather causes tyre pressure to increase as the air inside the tyre expands with the heat. In circumstances like this, it is always advisable to keep an eye on your tyre pressure and adjust where needed.
When and How Should You Check Your Tyre Pressure?
Tyre pressure should be checked regularly to ensure your tyres are fit for the road and are maintaining the correct pressure the more you drive on them. We recommend checking your tyre pressure at least once a month, and also before setting off on a long drive. You can check your tyre pressure at home using a tyre pressure gauge, or at a service station if you don’t have a gauge handy.
Checking your tyre pressure at home with a tyre pressure gauge:
- Determine the recommended pressure for your vehicle.
- Let tyres cool for around 3 hours after driving before checking the pressure.
- Remove the dust cap from your tyre valve and press the gauge onto the valve stem.
- You will hear a hiss of air and then the tyre pressure will be displayed.
- Compare this with your recommended tyre pressure and adjust accordingly if needed.
- Repeat for all tyres including your spare.
- Don’t forget to screw your dust caps back on once you’re done!
Checking your tyres at a service station using the air pressure pump:
- Determine the recommended pressure for your vehicle.
- Park alongside the air pressure pump and remove the dust caps from your tyres.
- Set the machine to your vehicle’s recommended tyre pressure.
- Attach the gauge to the valve stem.
- The machine will measure the pressure and automatically adjust accordingly.
- Once finished, screw dust caps back on.
Common Mistakes When Checking Tyre Pressure
Many motorists often make these common mistakes without even realising when checking their tyre pressure. Learning from these mistakes and educating yourself on the correct way to check your tyre pressure is the key to safe tyre maintenance and overall road safety. Frequent mistakes to avoid are:
Checking hot tyres: Many people don’t realise that you need to let your tyres cool down after driving for around 3 hours before checking the tyre pressure. Checking them when they are hot will give an inaccurate reading.
Using an unreliable gauge: It is important to ensure the gauge you are using to measure your tyre pressure is calibrated properly for an accurate reading.
Forgetting about the spare: You never know when you’ll need your spare tyre, so ensuring it is also correctly maintained is key when it comes to tyre maintenance.
How to Reset Tyre Pressure
Most cars are fitted with a built in tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) which will show a light on the dashboard in the event of incorrect tyre pressure. It is important to reset your TPMS after adjusting your tyre pressure so that your vehicle is aware of the new pressure setting and can identify any new issues.
To reset the TPMS, you’ll need to locate the TPMS reset button in your vehicle. This will be different for each car, but usually they can either be found under the steering wheel, inside the glove box, or within the car’s media system. If your vehicle has a physical button, you need to press and hold the reset button until the tyre pressure light flashes 3 times then release. If your TPMS reset is within the media console, you’ll simply need to follow the instructions that are shown on screen – this is generally just a confirmation that your tyres have been adjusted to the correct pressure.
Stay Safe This Tyre Safety Month
Tyre safety month is an important campaign and gives motorists a chance to reflect on their own tyre maintenance practices. We hope this article has encouraged you to carry out regular checks to your tyre pressure as part of your vehicle maintenance routine.
Road safety is key and tyres play a huge part in that, so keeping them well maintained is a key responsibility as a motorist. Not only will you be keeping yourself and other road users safe, but you’ll also be able to enjoy your tyres at maximum performance every time you drive. Looking after your tyres is a great way to help them last and get as many miles as you can out of them, saving you money in the long run.