01Core
Even Tread Wear
Correct PSI puts the full tread on the road. Low pressure rolls the tire onto its shoulders. High pressure crowns the center. Either way, the tire wears out years early.
Tire pressure check, five minutes flat.
Door-jamb PSI, not the number on the sidewall. Cold readings, not hot. All four corners. Free when you stop in, included on every other service we do.
Six things proper PSI gets you.
Underinflated by 5 PSI costs about 2 percent fuel economy and shortens tire life by 25 percent. Overinflated wears the center tread out twice as fast. The placard number is right for a reason.
02
Better Fuel Economy
Each 1 PSI low across all four tires costs around 0.4 percent MPG. Sounds small. Over a year of Greensboro commuting it adds up to a tank or two of gas.
03
Shorter Braking Distance
Underinflated tires deform under braking. Stopping distance grows by several feet from highway speed. The cheapest safety upgrade you can do.
04
Lower Blowout Risk
Low pressure plus high speed plus summer heat is how sidewalls fail. Most highway blowouts trace back to a tire that ran low for months.
05
Better Fuel Economy
Underinflated tires increase rolling resistance. Every 3 PSI low across all four tires costs about 1 percent of fuel economy. Small numbers, but they add up over a year.
06
Honest Ride Quality
Correct pressure is what the suspension was designed around. Overinflated rides harsh. Underinflated wallows. The placard PSI is the engineer's answer.
Five-step pressure check at home.
Same routine we use in the bay. Five minutes, once a month, in your driveway.
Find the door-jamb sticker
Driver-side door, on the jamb or the door edge. Lists the correct cold PSI for front and rear. That is the only number that matters. Ignore the big number on the sidewall (that is the maximum, not the recommended).
Check cold, before driving
Cold means the tires have been sitting for at least 3 hours, or have been driven less than a mile. Driving heats the air and raises pressure 3 to 5 PSI. Hot readings will not match the placard.
Use a real gauge
The pencil gauge in the glove box works. A digital gauge is more accurate. Gas station gauges are notoriously off. If you only own one tool for your tires, make it a 10-dollar gauge.
Check all four, every time
Two tires can be at spec and two can be 6 PSI low. Always check every corner. Do not skip the spare every few months either.
Add air, recheck, replace the cap
Inflate to the door-jamb number, pull the chuck, check again. The chuck releases air during the swap. Replace every valve cap to keep dirt and water out of the valve core.
Or stop by M&K and we will do it for you in five minutes, free with any other service.
Pressure is one of four pieces.
Tire care at M&K is rotation, flat repair, and pressure. Here are the other two.
01
Tire Rotation
Every 5,000 miles for most vehicles, every 3,000 to 5,000 for AWD. Even wear, longer life, warranty intact.
02
Flat Tire Repair
When a puncture is patchable and when it is not. The 1/4-inch rule, sidewall rules, and our external-plug scope.
03
All Tire Services
Rotation, external flat repair, and pressure checks at M&K. What we do and what we refer out.
Frequently asked.
Yes. Stop in any business day and we will check all four corners, set them to the correct cold PSI, and give you a quick visual on each tire. No charge. Walk-ins welcome.
Check the sticker on the driver-side door jamb (or door edge). It lists front and rear PSI for your specific vehicle. Most cars run between 30 and 36 PSI cold. Trucks and SUVs run higher. Never use the number on the tire sidewall (that is the maximum pressure the tire can hold, not the recommended pressure for your vehicle).
Cold means the tires have been sitting for at least three hours or driven less than a mile. Driving heats the air inside the tire and pressure rises 3 to 5 PSI. The door-jamb spec is a cold pressure, so check first thing in the morning before you drive.
Once a month minimum, more often in winter. Greensboro temperatures swing 30 to 40 degrees between November and February, which alone moves pressure 3 to 4 PSI. Quick monthly check prevents most slow-leak surprises.
Usually not. They get knocked around, dropped, and rarely calibrated. Use a 10-dollar digital gauge from a parts store and check it against a shop gauge once a year. Way more reliable than the public ones.
No. The big number on the sidewall (something like 51 PSI) is the maximum the tire can hold safely, not the recommended pressure for your car. Inflate to the door-jamb spec, which is engineered around your vehicle's weight, suspension, and tire size.
Cold air takes up less volume. Tire pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10-degree Fahrenheit drop in temperature. A 70-degree day to a 30-degree night takes about 4 PSI off every tire. Add air in the fall before the first hard cold snap.
Yes. Pressure above the door-jamb spec gives a harsh ride, crowns the center tread (wears it out fast), and reduces grip in corners and braking. A few PSI over for a long highway trip is fine. Daily overinflation is not.
Usually a slow leak. Could be a nail you have not found, a porous valve stem, or a corroded bead seat. If you are adding air to the same tire every week, bring it in. Spray-test takes a few minutes and tells us where the leak is.
On request. Donut spares need around 60 PSI (check the sidewall on the spare specifically). Full-size matching spares hold the same PSI as the others. Both lose pressure sitting in the trunk. Worth checking every few months.
Need a quick PSI check?
Stop in any business day. Five minutes, all four corners, free with any service or just to be safe.
1605 W Gate City Blvd
Greensboro, NC 27403
Mon–Fri · 9 AM – 6 PM
Sat · 9 AM – 3 PM
(336) 370-6710
Walk-ins welcome