Owner's book · not a shop
Open HoodKnow the car. Then the window. Factory specs in plain English — don't authorize until you can say this at the counter.
Owner's book · not a shop
Open HoodKnow the car. Then the window. Factory specs in plain English — don't authorize until you can say this at the counter.
Guides
Beginner · short stepsExpert · spec · code · mm
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How-to · Tires · PSI, rotate, spare, TPMS
DIY-safe driveway job
The number on the tire sidewall is a maximum, not your fill target. Your car’s cold PSI is on the driver’s door sticker. Low tires wear the edges, waste fuel, and light the TPMS horseshoe. Check them cold — before you drive.
Safety
Steps · beginner-friendly
Tools
Parts
1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know
How to Properly Check and Fill Tires on Your Car
1A Auto shows door-sticker vs sidewall max, a cold check, and why TPMS is not a substitute for a gauge.
Watch on YouTubeIf you are not DIY · say this instead
Please set all four tires and the spare to the door-jamb cold PSI, not the sidewall max. I want the numbers written on the RO.
Ask at the shop
Ask them to write the PSI they set. “We aired them up” is not a number.
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Tires
Rotate the tires
Front tires wear differently than rears. Rotation moves them so a set lasts longer. Directional tires (arrow on the sidewall) can only swap front-to-back on the same side. After a rotation, reset TPMS if the car needs a relearn, and torque the lugs in a star.
Tires
Understand and reset a TPMS light
A solid horseshoe means a tire is low. A flashing horseshoe usually means a dead sensor battery or a failed relearn after a rotation. Air the tires to the door sticker first. Then drive. Only then chase sensors.
Tires
Change a flat and use the spare
A flat on the shoulder is a roadside job, not a personality test. You loosen the lugs on the ground, lift at the factory point, swap the spare, and torque when it is down. The donut is a get-home tire — 50 mph, short distance, then a real tire.
EV
EV tires: weight, torque, and why they wear faster
Electric cars are heavy and make instant torque. Tires work harder. Door-jamb PSI still wins. Some tires are marked for EV load and noise. A cheap low-load tire can wear 20% faster or feel vague. Rotate on schedule. This is the wear item oil used to be.