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6.4.4Checking t ire pressure
It isimportant tocheck y ourvehicle's tirepressure atleast o nce amonth tot the
following r easons:
• Most tires may naturally lose air over time..
• Tires can fose 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 unde>inflation by visua[
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.
The reconm_ended tire inflation pressure that vehicle marmfhcturers provide
reflects the proper psi when a tire is cokt The term cold does not re[ate 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' tiros get warmer; causing the aft' pressure
within them to increase Therefore, to get an accurate tire pressure reading, you
must measure tire pressure when the tires are cold or compensate for tire extra
pressure in warm tires
6°4.5 Steps for maintaining
proper tire pressure
• Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure on the vehicle's tire information
placard, certification label, or in the owner's manual
• Step 2: Record the tire pressure of all tires
• Step 3: lfthe 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 untiI you
get to the correct p_essure
• Step 4: if the tire pressure is too tow, note the difference between the measured
tire pressure and the correct tire pressure. These "missing" pounds of pressure are
what you will need to add.
- Step 5: At a service station, add the missing pounds ofair pressure to each tire
that is made>inflated
• Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure (except
in cases in which the fi'ont and rear tires are supposed to have different amounts o[
pressure).
If you have been driving your vehicle and think that a tr:ailer tile is under-inflated,
fitl it to fl_erecommended cold inflation pressure indicated on 3,our vehicle's tire
information placard or certification label While your tire may still be slightly
under-inflated due to tire extra pounds of pressure in the warm tire, it is safe.r
to drive with air' pressure that is slightly lower than the vehicle manufacturer's
recommended cold inflation pressure than to drive with a significantly under-
inflated tire Since this is a temporary fix, don't forget to recheck and adjust the
tire's pressme when you can obtain a cold reading
6A.6 Tire size
To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle's
originat tires or another size recommended by the manufacturer.. Look at the
tire information placard, the owner's manual, or the sidewalI of the tire you are
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