What should my tire pressure be?

Find your number

• The right pressure for your car is on the tire placard on the driver's door jamb, or in the owner's manual.^1,2,3,4
• The psi molded on the tire sidewall is the tire's maximum, not the pressure to use.^1,4,5,6
• Many passenger cars have a placard pressure of about 30 to 35 psi, but always use the number for your own car.^4,6,7

Check it cold, once a month

• Check the pressure when the tires are cold: before driving, or after the car has been parked for about 3 hours.^1,2,3,8
• Check all tires, the spare too, at least once a month and before a long trip.^1,2,8,9
• Tire pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit the air gets colder, so check again when the weather turns cold.^9,10,11,12

The warning light comes on late

• The TPMS warning light is only required to come on when a tire is about 25 percent below the placard pressure, so a tire can be well under-inflated before it lights.^9,10,13,14
• A TPMS light does not replace a monthly check with a tire gauge.^8,9

Low tires wear faster and use more fuel

• Under-inflated tires wear faster on both outer edges of the tread.^15,16,17
• Under-inflated tires hurt fuel economy: about 0.2 percent less mileage for every 1 psi the tires are low on average.^5,18

Questions people ask

What should my tire pressure be in winter?

The same number as on the placard, measured cold. Air pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F, so check more often when it turns cold.

How low is too low for tire pressure?

Anything under the placard number. The warning light is only required at about 25 percent below it: with a 32 psi placard, that is about 24 psi.

Why does my tire pressure light come on in cold weather?

Cold air lowers the pressure: about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F.

The max psi on my tires says 40. Should I fill them to that?

No. The number on the sidewall is the tire's maximum. Use the number on the placard on the driver's door jamb.

Should I check tire pressure hot or cold?

Cold: before driving, or after the car has been parked for about 3 hours.

My tire pressure light is on. What do I do?

Check all four tires with a gauge and fill them to the placard number. The light comes on late, so do not wait for it next time: check once a month.

How we checked this page

Checked on October 27, 2026. We kept a fact only when two independent sources agree, and each one is numbered to its sources below. We never write a price. This page was written with an AI assistant and checked against the sources below.

Sources

1. Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness | TireWise, NHTSA
2. How to check tire pressure, Michelin USA
3. How to Check Tire Pressure with a Tire Pressure Gauge, Bridgestone
4. Correct Tire Air Pressure | Recommended Tire PSI, Discount Tire
5. Keeping Your Vehicle in Shape, fueleconomy.gov (DOE / EPA)
6. How to Properly Check and Put Air in Tires, Cars.com
7. How Low Is Too Low for Tire Pressure?, J.D. Power
8. Tire Care Essentials, U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association
9. The Importance of Proper Tire Pressure, General Tire (Continental)
10. Tire Pressure Light On? Here's What to Do, Tire Rack (Discount Tire)
11. TPMS Light Coming on in Cold Weather? Here's Why, Les Schwab
12. Understanding Tire Pressure and Temperature Change, AAA (Auto Club Group)
13. 49 CFR 571.138 Standard No. 138; Tire pressure monitoring systems, eCFR (US federal regulation)
14. How To Check Your Car's Tire Pressure and Inflate Tires, Edmunds
15. Wear on Both Edges (under-inflated tires), Michelin USA
16. Tire Wear Patterns Guide, Discount Tire
17. Tire pressure, Continental Tire
18. Tire Pressure and Fuel Economy: Why Proper Inflation Matters, Kelley Blue Book