Owner`s manual
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
109
inated. (You will also nd this number on the vehicle information placard expressed in kilopascals
(kPa), which is the metric measure used internationally).
Vehicle manufacturers determine this number based on the vehicle’s design load limit, that is, the
greatest amount of weight a vehicle can safely carry and the vehicle’s tire size. e proper tire pressure
for your vehicle is referred to as the “recommended cold ination pressure.”
Because tires are designed to be used on more than one type of vehicle, tire manufacturers list the
“maximum permissible ination pressure” on the tire sidewall. is number is the greatest amount of
air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Checking Tire Pressure
It is important to check your vehicle’s tire pressure at least once a month for the following reasons:
• Most tires may naturally lose air over time
• Tires can lose air suddenly if you drive over a pothole or other object or if you strike the
curb when parking
• With radial tires, it is usually not possible to determine under-ination by visual inspection
For convenience, purchase a tire pressure gauge to keep in your vehicle. Gauges can be purchased at
tire dealerships, auto supply stores, and other retail outlets.
e recommended tire ination pressure that vehicle manufacturers provide reects the proper psi
when a tire is cold. e term cold does not relate to the outside temperature. Rather, a cold tire is one
that has not been driven on for at least three hours. When you drive, your tires get warmer, causing
the air pressure within them to increase. erefore, to get an accurate tire pressure reading, you must
measure tire pressure when the tires are cold or compensate for the extra pressure in warm tires.
Steps for Maintaining Proper Tire Pressure
• Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure on the vehicle’s tire information placard,
certication label, or in the owner’s manual
• Step 2: Record the tire pressure of all tires
• Step 3: If the tire pressure is too high in any of the tires, slowly release air by gently pressing
on the tire valve stem with the edge of your tire gauge until you get to the correct pressure
• Step 4: If the tire pressure is too low, note the dierence between the measured tire pressure
and correct tire pressure. ese “missing” pounds of pressure are what you will need to add
• Step 5: At a service station, add the missing pounds of air pressure to each tire that is under-
inated
• Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure (except in cases in
which the front and rear tires are supposed to have dierent amounts of pressure)
If you have been driving your vehicle and think that a tire is under-inated, ll it to the recommended
cold ination pressure indicated on your vehicle’s tire information placard of certication label. While