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[Help] Car tyre pressure advice sought



Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
57,510
Faversham
My car has recommended tyre pressures on 2.2 to 2.4, depending on loaded or unloaded. I had all 4 tyres replaced yesterday by a reputable company.

When driving yesterday the pressures ranged from 2.4 to 2.9.

Should I lower the pressures down to what is recommended?

(This sort of thing stresses me out and is a classic issue for the neurodivergent. The company guys are the experts, not me, but what they have done doesn't make sense to me. I should add that they always seem to do this, and the pressures in each tyres are not even set to be the same. )

Advice gratefully received. I all likelihood I will nip out shortly and reset the lot to 2.3. HWT.
 








Bozza

Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,798
Back in Sussex
That does sound strange.

Check on the tyres themselves to see what pressure they suggest. It will be written on the side in difficult-to-read black.

The only other thing I'll say, pertinent today, is tyre pressures are low when cold and will increase when you drive and they warm up.
 






zefarelly

zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
23,096
Sussex, by the sea
HWT, is the car rear or wrong wheel drive?

pressures do go up with heat and it is very cold now . . .

it's not uncommon to over inflate to make sure they seal well when fitted . . . . It's also not uncommon for tyre gorillas to use a windy gun to do the nuts up 3 times tighter than recommended. 🙄

The Manwell in the glove box, and/or an online sanity check should confirm . . . . And as Bozza says the tyre will have an operating pressure range on it as well.

2.3-2.4 sounds good to me
 


Bry Nylon

Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
20,757
Playing snooker
Bozza said:
That does sound strange.

Check on the tyres themselves to see what pressure they suggest. It will be written on the side in difficult-to-read black.
Click to expand...
Trying to read tyre pressures on the sidewall of a wet, dirty tyre is a complete pain in the arse.

Have a look on the passenger-side door sill - the correct tyre pressures for the make and model of your car should be stamped there too.
 


Bozza

Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,798
Back in Sussex
Bry Nylon said:
Trying to read tyre pressures on the sidewall of a wet, dirty tyre is a complete pain in the arse.

Have a look on the passenger-side door sill - the correct tyre pressures for the make and model of your car should be stamped there too.
Click to expand...
They will, yes - which is probably where HWT is getting his numbers from and/or the manual which will say the same.

But the tyres themselves may say something different which might explain why the tyre-fitter has inflated to the level HWT is seeing.

Not that I'd have any idea what to suggest if the tyres have differing pressure ratings than the car itself wants!
 




Triggaaar

Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,952
Goldstone
Harry Wilson's tackle said:
This sort of thing stresses me out and is a classic issue for the neurodivergent. The company guys are the experts, not me, but what they have done doesn't make sense to me. I should add that they always seem to do this, and the pressures in each tyres are not even set to be the same.
Click to expand...

They should be the same on the front nearside and the front off-side, and same on the two rears too. Often same on all four, but not as important. The reason the company didn't do this is laziness. Just filling them with a gun to 'close enough'.

At this time of year, pressure drops due to the cold, so dropping them all to 2.3 sounds good. When it warms up, they'll probably rise to 2.4.
 


WATFORD zero

WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
28,221
Just to complicate further, same tyres on different cars can require different pressure settings. Check your handbook, or failing that look for a label inside the fuel cap or just inside the frame of the driver's door. The pressures shown are for when the tyres are cold.

I would set them all to the recommended pressure and find a new tyre company :thumbsup:
 








zefarelly

zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
23,096
Sussex, by the sea
WATFORD zero said:
Just to complicate further, same tyres on different cars can require different pressure settings. Check your handbook, or failing that look for a label inside the fuel cap or just inside the frame of the driver's door. The pressures shown are for when the tyres are cold.

I would set them all to the recommended pressure and find a new tyre company :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Both my cars have different size tyres front and rear. 🤓

My unicycle has a matching set.
 


G

golddene

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2012
2,036
I think all cars today have tyre presser sensors fitted, these can be adjusted by going through a sequence within the cars system, my vehicle sensor warning light illuminates if one or more tyre pressures fall below this pressure, the handbook for my car suggests a pressure of 32 lb psi, so I tend to top up if the light comes on and check all tyres and inflate to the recommended pressure, on posher cars like obviously yours HWT these pressure sensors are individual, so are highlighted as to which tyre is lower on psi !
Recommend purchasing a 12v pump and setting the cars psi values as shown in the handbook as far more convenient than having to top up at a petrol station etc.
 






B

Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
15,057
Cumbria
My Fiesta is front wheel drive - and the pressures are meant to be higher on the front than on the back, unless we are carrying a load - in which case they are meant to be the other way round. All seems a lot of faff for a hatchback, where we are constantly putting heavy stuff in and out of the boot (or carrying passengers).

So, I don't bother and just pump them all up to 32, and stick a bit extra in if we go on holiday and have the bikes on the back.
 




Flounce

Flounce

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2006
5,060
I believe that tyre pressures should be set when the tyres are cold. My car has TPMS and throws up an error message if any of them drop 0.1 bar below the level they should be. I then have to top them up and drive a few miles before the error message disappears. Pissed me off so much in the winter that I now inflate at least 0.10 more than the recommended level. The car does tell me the individual pressures on each tyre.

In Harry’s case I’d leave the fronts as they are and lower the back to 2.6 personally but ensure that the tyres are cold when doing it. The levels will become higher on warm or hot tyres
 




SkirlieWirlie

SkirlieWirlie

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2024
292
Harry Wilson's tackle said:
My car has recommended tyre pressures on 2.2 to 2.4, depending on loaded or unloaded. I had all 4 tyres replaced yesterday by a reputable company.

When driving yesterday the pressures ranged from 2.4 to 2.9.

Should I lower the pressures down to what is recommended?

(This sort of thing stresses me out and is a classic issue for the neurodivergent. The company guys are the experts, not me, but what they have done doesn't make sense to me. I should add that they always seem to do this, and the pressures in each tyres are not even set to be the same. )

Advice gratefully received. I all likelihood I will nip out shortly and reset the lot to 2.3. HWT.
Click to expand...

The lower pressure is normally for car lightly loaded.

Higher pressure when 4 passengers and luggage.

The pressure recommended is when tyres cold and they will naturally increase when you go on a run.

Inflating them to the recommended pressure when already warm/hot is not ideal and will mean they'll likely be under when they cool.
 




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