How to Check and Adjust Your Tesla Tire Pressure

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Do you want to be self-sufficient and know everything about your Teslas tire pressure?

You have come to the right place! I have been servicing Teslas since the first year they were on the road, even the original Tesla Roadster. 

Get ready to learn everything you need to know about checking and adjusting Tesla’s tire pressure. 

Table of Contents

    2 Ways To Check Tesla Tire Pressure

    There are a few different ways you can check the tire pressures for your Tesla. This step-by-step guide will review the different ways to prevent and ensure you have the correct amount of air in your tires.

    Through The Tesla Touchscreen

    1. Turn the vehicle on by pressing the brake pedal.
    2. Your vehicle will display on the left-hand side of the screen.
    3. Click service button
    4. Now the tire pressure data will appear in front of you.

    NOTE: For this method, you may need to drive for a short period to display the tire pressures.   

    Old Fashioned 

    1. Buy a tire pressure gauge.
    2. Locate the valve stem and remove the valve cap (if applicable).
    3. Attach the tire pressure gauge to the valve stem and press down. If you hear air hissing out, push down harder.
    4. Remove the gauge from the valve and check the reading. A digital meter will display on the screen. On a pencil gauge, the pressure will be the highest number visible on the stick reading.       

    The Range of Normal Tire Pressure for Tesla

    The range of tire pressure for your Tesla will be anywhere from 40 to 45 pounds of pressure. It is important to keep your tires within this pressure range to ensure you will get the most miles per charge.

    You can view Tesla’s recommended tire pressure by looking at the tire and load information label on the passenger side door pillar.

    ModelsTire Pressure
    Model 3/Y2. 9 bar(42 psi)
    Model S 193.1 bar(45 psi)
    Model S 212.9 bar(42 psi)
    Model X 202.9 bar(42 psi)
    Recommend Tire Pressure for Tesla Table

    Why Do You Need to Keep Normal Tire Pressure?

    A tire with lower air pressure than the recommended range will have a much higher rolling resistance. Rolling resistance is how much force needed to generate to push your tires forward. Thus the lower the air in your tires, the more energy is required to make them spin.

    Another reason you will want to maintain normal tire pressure is for tire longevity. Teslas are not known for having long tire life, so you need to do everything possible to make them last as long as possible.

    If a tire is underinflated, more of the vehicle’s weight rests on the shoulders of the tire, causing a lot more wore on the outer portions of your tread. 

    The Reason Why Tire Pressure Is Too Low and How To Do

    Low tire pressure can be caused by a variety of reasons. Lack of pumping your tires up, punctures, or even cold weather.

    Lack of Pressure Maintenance

    It is recommended to check your air pressure at least once a month. On average, a tire will lose one to two pounds of air a month. Tires lose pressure monthly because air travels through the rubber compounds in very small amounts. 

    Punctures

    The most common reason your pressure can be low is a puncture in the tire. A puncture could be from a nail, screw, or even a rock (yes, you read that right, I have seen it before). When you have a punctured tire, typically, only one of the tires will suffer from pressure loss.

    Cold Weather

    Suppose you live in an area with below-freezing temperatures. In that case, you will notice that every winter, your tire pressure light will come on the dash (the yellow/orange exclamation point inside a tire). Colder temperatures cause the air molecules in the tire to collapse, reducing the amount of pressure within the rubber walls. 

    You can stop by your local tire shop to fix low tire pressure and get them inflated (most shops will do this for free). You might be more of a do-it-yourselfer; in that case, you can buy a portable inflator and pump up the air on your own. 

    The Reason Why Tire Pressure Is Too High and How To Do

    There are only two reasons your tire pressure will be too high, A) They were pumped up with too much air, or B) The temperature outside increased.

    If your tire has too much air, it will cause the center of your tread to wear out faster. If you want to fix the problem of high air pressure. All you need to do is, locate the valve stem on your rim, remove the valve cap, and press down on the small pin (valve core) inside the stem.

    NOTE: Make sure you don’t let too much air out of your tire. If you press the pin (valve core) for no more than two seconds, check the pressure after every stop. You will avoid a flat tire.

    How Do You Pump Up a Tesla Tire?

    The easiest way to pump up your tire is by heading to your local tire store and having them do it for you. Most shops will have a system so you can drive right up, get your tires filled, and be on your way within less than ten minutes.

    Yet you may have a flat tire and be stuck in your driveway. To avoid this situation. I recommend buying a portable air compressor. It plugs right into your 12V power outlet for immediate use. They even make Tesla-specific ones now for perfect fit storage. 

    Our Verdict

    The air pressure is significant to get more miles out of the tire and to get better charge efficiency from your car. Following this guide on checking and adjusting your Tesla’s tire pressure. It will give you more miles per charge, a longer tread life, and a safer vehicle.

    Teslas are complicated vehicles to grasp. I hope this article clarifies how to address your Model Y, S, 3, or X tire pressure needs.

    You might be interested in our tire care guide.

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