30-35 PSI
Sedans & Coupes
Most everyday cars land in this range front and rear. Compacts often sit at the low end, larger sedans a bit higher.
Auto Guide
Tire Pressure Guide: Find Your Vehicle's PSI
Sedans & Coupes30-35 PSI
SUVs & Crossovers33-38 PSI
Trucks (unloaded)35-45 PSI
Spare / Donut~60 PSI
Check WhenCold, monthly
TPMS Triggers At25% under spec
Every vehicle has one correct tire pressure number, and it's not the one printed on the tire. I check mine the first Saturday of every month, right when I'm already out running errands anyway. Takes about ninety seconds a tire. Here's where your number actually lives and how to use it.
01 · The real number
Where your PSI actually lives
Skip the tire sidewall. That number is the tire's maximum cold pressure, not what your vehicle needs. Your actual number comes from the manufacturer and lives in one specific place.
1
Open the driver's door
Look at the sticker on the door jamb itself, not the tire. It lists recommended PSI for front and rear, plus your spare.
Look at the sticker on the door jamb itself, not the tire. It lists recommended PSI for front and rear, plus your spare.
2
Match front to front, rear to rear
Many vehicles, especially trucks and SUVs, run different pressures front and rear. Don't fill both to the same number by default.
Many vehicles, especially trucks and SUVs, run different pressures front and rear. Don't fill both to the same number by default.
3
Check the owner's manual as backup
Same numbers, usually in the glovebox, useful if the sticker's worn off or you're not sure what you're reading.
Same numbers, usually in the glovebox, useful if the sticker's worn off or you're not sure what you're reading.
02 · By vehicle type
Typical ranges, by what you drive
These are common, practical ranges, not a substitute for your door jamb sticker. Use them to sanity check what you're seeing, not as your final number.
33-38 PSI
SUVs & Crossovers
Extra weight means a bit more air. Rear tires often run higher than front, especially loaded up for a trip.
35-80 PSI
Trucks & Vans
Unloaded, light trucks usually sit around 35-45 PSI. Loaded or towing, some manufacturers call for 60-80 PSI. This range is wide on purpose, check the sticker.
03 · Reading the gauge
Where your pressure falls
Cold pressure is what matters, checked before you've driven more than a mile or so. Here's what different readings actually mean.
Dangerously low25%+ underThis is where TPMS is required to warn you. Handling and braking are compromised, fill it now.
Low10-25% underRolling resistance climbs, so does fuel use. Outer edges of the tire wear faster than they should.
OptimalWithin 2 PSIThe target, matching your door jamb number, checked cold.
High10-15% overRide gets stiffer, and the center of the tire wears faster than the edges.
Overinflated15%+ overLess rubber touching the road, which means less grip exactly when you need it.
04 · Common mistakes
Where people get this wrong
Most of these aren't complicated, they're just easy to skip.
×
Using the number on the tire sidewall
That's the tire's maximum pressure, not your vehicle's recommended pressure. They're rarely the same number.
That's the tire's maximum pressure, not your vehicle's recommended pressure. They're rarely the same number.
×
Checking pressure after driving
Tires heat up and pressure rises as you drive. Check cold, before the car's moved, for a real reading.
Tires heat up and pressure rises as you drive. Check cold, before the car's moved, for a real reading.
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Waiting for the warning light
By the time TPMS triggers, you're already 25% under spec. A monthly check catches it much earlier.
By the time TPMS triggers, you're already 25% under spec. A monthly check catches it much earlier.
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Ignoring the rear number
Front and rear pressures are often different, especially on trucks and SUVs. Filling both to the same PSI skips half the spec.
Front and rear pressures are often different, especially on trucks and SUVs. Filling both to the same PSI skips half the spec.
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Skipping the spare
Most donuts want closer to 60 PSI, well above your regular tires. It's useless at the wrong pressure exactly when you need it.
Most donuts want closer to 60 PSI, well above your regular tires. It's useless at the wrong pressure exactly when you need it.
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Guessing after a season change
Pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10 degree drop in temperature. A tire that was fine in July can be noticeably low by November.
Pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10 degree drop in temperature. A tire that was fine in July can be noticeably low by November.
The 25% underinflation threshold for TPMS warnings comes from the U.S. federal standard FMVSS No. 138. Everything else here reflects common manufacturer ranges, always confirm your exact PSI on your vehicle's door jamb sticker. NHTSA tire safety info