Tyre Pressure Basics
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In short
Run the pressures on your vehicle placard (driver's door or handbook), checked monthly when cold. Typical car values sit between 30 and 36 psi (2.1–2.5 bar).
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The basics that cover 90% of it
Check pressures monthly and before long trips, when the tyres are cold. The correct values are on the placard inside the driver's door or in the handbook — often two sets, for normal and loaded driving. Underinflation wears the shoulders, overheats the tyre and costs fuel; overinflation wears the centre and cuts grip.
psi, bar and kPa
| psi | bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 2.07 | 207 |
| 32 | 2.21 | 221 |
| 34 | 2.34 | 234 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
UK placards often quote bar and psi; US placards use psi. For quick conversion maths, use the unit converters at 247QuickTools, and for load-adjusted pressure calculations the calculators at 247Calculators.
Tyre Owner Essentials
TPMS
Cars sold in the EU since 2014 and the US since 2008 have tyre pressure monitoring. TPMS warns of a deflating tyre but is no substitute for a monthly gauge check — most systems only alert around 20–25% under placard pressure, which is already enough to damage a tyre on a motorway run.
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What should my tyre pressure be?
Whatever your vehicle placard specifies — it varies by car and load, typically 30–36 psi. The tyre size alone does not set the pressure.
How often should I check tyre pressures?
Monthly, and before any long or heavily-loaded trip, with the tyres cold. TPMS warnings come too late to substitute for this.
Related pages on this site
Last updated:
Data: computed reference values (ETRTO tyre-size arithmetic), build date 5 September 2026. Reference only — always follow your vehicle manufacturer's placard or handbook.