- 1). Purchase a tire pressure gauge. You have plenty of options when it comes to this. If you want something inexpensive, purchase an old-fashioned gauge with a dial or pressure-triggered stick. There are also digital models that read the measurement to you out loud.
- 2). Cool your tires down by leaving your car in a cool place for a while. The friction between tire and road has an effect on the measurement. Remember that heated air expands. You don't want to measure tire pressure when the tires are warm, as it will skew the results. Wait overnight and check the pressure in the morning, if possible.
- 3). Remove the caps from each valve stem. Keep these in a safe place, as they can get lost very easily.
- 4). Push the pressure gauge into each valve stem and take note of the measurement. If you hear hissing coming from the valve, you know that you're doing it incorrectly and not getting a proper measurement. Push down hard enough and at the correct angle for best results. Write down each figure and note which tire the value belongs to in case you have to add or remove air.
- 5). Compare the results to the figure provided by the manufacturer. This can be found on the sticker on the driver's side door. A 2008 Nissan Sentra 2.0, for example, comes with tires rated at P205/60R15 90H. The "P" means that the tire is intended for passenger car use. The "205" is the width of the tire in millimeters. The "90H" means that each tire will be able to support 1,323 pounds or 600 kilograms. Obviously, you should adhere to these limits. A load that is too heavy puts too much stress on the tires, and could lead to less-than-optimal performance or causes tires to deflate.
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