How to check car tire pressure without a gauge

Keeping tire pressure stable not only optimizes fuel economy for the vehicle but also ensures safety for the driver.

Tire pressure is essential for a car to operate properly and efficiently. Maintaining stable tire pressure not only optimizes the car's fuel economy but also ensures the safety of the driver.

There are several ways to check tire pressure, with a gauge being perhaps the simplest. Most modern cars come standard with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that measures pressure in real time while driving. However, before you get started with a tire pressure gauge, you need to know the correct PSI value for your vehicle setup. PSI is a measurement of tire pressure, expressed in pounds per square inch.

At what PSI will a tire burst?

The risk of this happening under normal driving conditions is quite low as most tires can handle up to 200 PSI before bursting. For an average SUV like a Toyota RAV4, the standard tire pressure will be between 32 and 35 PSI.

The risk of this happening under normal driving conditions is quite low, as most tires can handle up to 200 PSI before bursting. However, when driving, especially on hot days, the tire heats up as it makes repeated contact with the road. This friction causes the standard pressure to be much higher as the hot air expands. Each car and tire has its own PSI range, and you can usually find guidance on this in your owner's manual, on the inside of the driver's door, or on the tire itself. For example, an average SUV like a Toyota RAV4 will have a standard tire pressure of between 32 and 35 PSI.

Types of tire pressure gauges

There are three main types of tire pressure gauges: Stick or pencil gauges, mechanical gauges, and digital gauges.

There are three main types of tire pressure gauges, with varying levels of sophistication:

- Stick or pencil gauges are long, thin cylinder gauges that are among the cheapest on the market. Therefore, replacing a broken gauge is not too expensive. However, they can be difficult to read due to their small size.

- Mechanical gauges are designed with a large round face with large, clear numbers and a hand similar to an odometer. Usually, there will be a short tube running down from the face to connect to the tire outlet. This type of gauge is often used at gas stations where pressure calibration can be performed when measuring.

- Digital gauges are the most expensive, but they are also the most accurate. They are easy to read because you simply connect them to your tire and the display will tell you the exact pressure in large, bold numbers. The gauge will show low pressure if you need to add more air and higher numbers if your tire is over-inflated.

Although these tire pressure gauges work very effectively, you should not be subjective, because tire pressure gauges can also malfunction and stop working at any time due to electrical problems.

Here are some ways to check if your tires are properly inflated, in case you don't have a tire pressure gauge, or if your car's tire pressure gauge is broken. However, the accuracy of these methods is only relative.

Observation method

Park the car on a flat surface and observe which part of the tire sticks out more than the rest.

If you check your tire pressure regularly, you will become familiar with what your tires look like when they are properly inflated. From there, you will be able to spot problems just by looking. The best way to ensure accuracy is to park your car on a flat surface and look around, paying attention to any part of the tire that sticks out more than the rest.

Manual pressure measurement method

Press on the tire with your hand to check its elasticity.

Another way to measure tire pressure without tools is by hand. Simply press on the tire with your hand to check its elasticity. If the tire is too soft, it means the tire is under-inflated, while conversely, if the tire has no elasticity, it is a warning sign that it may be over-inflated./.

Khanh Linh