How do I check tire pressure? | Gonzales, LA

Almost all car owners know to check their tire pressure, but how do you do that? How do you add air? What if you put too much air in? Price LeBlanc Nissan is here to help!

What pressure should your tires be?

The first thing you need to determine is the optimal pressure for your tires. This will be printed in your owner’s manual, on the sidewall of the tires, or on the frame of your car when you open the driver’s door. Usually they will specify the ideal pressure when a tire is cold – this doesn’t mean the temperature outside, but the temperature of the air inside your tire (it increases when you drive due to friction).

How do you check air pressure?

First you need a pressure gauge. We recommend one with a dial instead of a slide. Some air compressors have one built in, but it’s usually best to use a dedicated gauge. Unscrew the cap on the tire’s valve stem, then push the gauge onto the stem until air does not leak around it – you will hear the leaking stop, it is very obvious. Remember to do this fairly quickly, or you will affect the tire’s pressure!

How do you add or remove air?

You need a compressor to create the kind of pressure needed to fill a tire. Like when you checked the pressure, you have to unscrew the cap of the valve stem on the tire and push the air compressor’s nozzle to the valve until air stops leaking. You should hear air fill the tire (it sounds like a balloon being filled). Some air compressors will simply blow air, in which case you have to add for a few seconds, check with a guage, add some more, and so on. Newer compressors will have a pressure sensor built in, and once you set the target pressure, the compressor will operate until the tire is ready. If you need to remove air for any reason, there is a small button on the inside of the tire’s valve – press it, and you will feel the air leaving.

Is your tire continually losing air, or having other problems? Schedule an appointment to have a Price LeBlanc expert service technician take a look! We’re open Monday – Friday from 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM and Saturday from 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM, so come see us at 14295 Airline Hwy, Gonzales, LA, 70737, call us at (855) 505-0103, or you can check our current inventory online at any time. We are proud to serve our neighbors in the Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, Denham Springs, Prairieville, and Zachary areas.