How to put air in tyres

Monday 12th December 2022

Has your tyre pressure light come on? Perhaps your tyres need inflating? It’s important to understand your recommended tyre pressure, how to check tyre pressure and how to put air into your tyres. Find out everything you need to know today from our handy guide. 

How to check tyre pressure

When learning how to put air in car tyres, it’s important to first understand how to check tyre pressure. In most modern vehicles, the tyre pressure sensor will light up on the dashboard if your tyre pressure needs attention. This should not be ignored as tyre pressure is very important. Underinflated tyres can increase the speed of tyre wear, compromise control and handling of the vehicle and even lead to tyre blowouts. There are some vehicles which do not have tyre pressure monitors. In this case, the driver would have to manually check the tyre pressure using a tyre pressure gauge to ensure their tyre pressure is set to optimal inflation. 

How to know how much air to put in tyres

Once you’ve recognised your tyre pressure needs attention, you’ll need to identify the recommended tyre pressure for your tyres. The recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle is usually printed on a label on the inside of the driver’s door frame, the glovebox, or the inside of the fuel filler cap. Alternatively, you can also find your recommended tyre pressure in your vehicle manual. However, it’s important to note that rear tyres may have different recommended pressure to front tyres. Still not sure? Use our tyre pressure calculator to find out your recommended tyre inflation. 

Now you know the recommended pressure, you can begin checking the pressure of your tyres. Unless you have a digital pressure gauge it’s likely you’ll need to go to the garage to check this. A digital pressure gauge is used in the same way as a tyre inflator. 

How to put air in car tyres

Next, you’ll need to know how to put air in your tyres. If you’ve identified your tyre’s pressure by a digital gauge at home, you’ll need to either drive to the garage to pump up your car tyres or inflate your tyres manually at home. If you’re taking your vehicle to a petrol station, follow the following steps:  

• Begin by removing all of the valve stem caps on the tyres that need air. Remember to put these somewhere safe - so you don’t misplace them. 
• The machine will likely require money to operate. Put your money in and set your recommended pressure on the machine screen, then begin to add air to each tyre by attaching the hose to the valve. (Note: you need to put money in the machine to either check the tyre pressure or put air in your tyres). 
• Once your tyre has reached the recommended tyre pressure, the hose will hiss, and the machine will make a beeping sound - at this point you can remove the hose and replace the valve stem cap.
• Repeat the process for all required tyres.

If you inflate your tyres manually at home, you can do this by using a manual or electric pump. This process is the same method as the above, but without having to pay to use the machine. Now you know how to check tyre pressure and how to put air in tyres, find your nearest Formula One Autocentre today to check your tyre pressure. You can also use our tyre pressure calculator to find out your recommended tyre pressure. Find out more tyres advice from our helpful guides.