A Beginner's Guide to Checking Tyre Pressure

One of the most important things you need to do to look after your lease car while you’ve got it (apart from not pretending you’re in The Fast And The Furious obviously) is checking the tyre pressure. Whether you’ve got a speedy sports car or a family friendly 4 x 4, checking it regularly is a key maintenance task.

Why, we hear you ask?

Well, if you think about it, your tyres are holding the whole weight of the car up, including you, and while that’s their job, it still means that they naturally lose a bit of air over time.

The correct tyre pressure means that they’re working at their best, which is vital when they’re the bits of the car that are in contact with the road.

Having low tyre pressure can affect all of these rather important functions:

• Braking
• Handling
• Cornering
• Fuel consumption
• Wear and tear on the tyres

Plus, the correct tyre pressure means lower fuel and maintenance costs which is always a bonus.

When should tyre pressure be checked?

Ideally, you should be checking once a month and you can either do it at home if you have a pressure gauge and tyre pump or at a petrol station where they generally have them on the forecourt.

Check your tyres when they are cold because the pressure increases when the tyres are warmer, so try to check them before you’ve driven too far.

What should my tyre pressure be?

With a lease car (or, let’s be honest, any car) you aren’t necessarily going to know off the top of your head what the correct tyre pressure is for your tyres.

You can find this in your handbook or it could be on a small sticker on the bodywork of your car. Alternatively, Kwik-Fit offers a guide where you can look it up by typing in your registration number.

But don’t guess!

Handbooks will usually give the recommended pressure for normal loads and increased loads, so be sure to check this if you are pulling a trailer or caravan and make sure to adjust the tyre pressure.

How to check tyre pressure

• Firstly, you need to unscrew the cap from the valve on the tyre and then place the gauge on the valve. You’ll probably hear a slight hiss as you push it on, which is normal.
• Depending on the type of machine, it will display the current tyre pressure and give you the option to either increase or decrease it to meet the correct pressure.
• When you’ve finished one, replace the valve cap and then move around the rest. Try not to lose the caps!
• And now you’re done, for another month anyway. Your tyres are at the right pressure and you’re doing your bit to look after your lease car.

Check all four of the tyres and don’t forget your spare!

It’s not just the pressure you need to keep in mind when checking your tyres – it’s important to check tyre tread as well. You can check out our tyre safety guide which explains how to do this, and how often.

If having to replace a tyre (whether it’s been the victim of a pothole puncture or the tread’s worn down) is causing you stress, take a look at our maintenance package – all your tyre needs will be covered!