How often should I check the air in my tires?

[Bobo818]

how often should I add air in my tires? I’ve had my car since end of February and today a message came up that my tires were low. I just wonder how to maintain the air in tires. My previous car notified me when I needed to add air. Thanks! often should add air to their tires on the model 3?

 

[PACEMD]

Unless it’s been longer than 47 days, in which case you should empty the air from your tires and replace it with fresh air because the air in there gets stale and can affect your mileage.

Stale tire air can also make you a laughing stock in many, if not most, social settings, and no one wants that......

 

[3sr+buyer]

It was more convenient to check tire pressure in the V10 UI by just leaving the tire pressure display up in the lower left corner of the screen.

 

[rpiotro]

I check mine from the app frequently. Part of my "pre flight". Oddly, other than seasonal changes I have not lost any air whatsoever in the 15 months I've owned it. In 55 years of driving I don't think I have ever experienced this. I would always expect some slight seepage over time.

 

[CaptUAL]

how often should I add air in my tires? I’ve had my car since end of February and today a message came up that my tires were low. I just wonder how to maintain the air in tires. My previous car notified me when I needed to add air. Thanks! often should add air to their tires on the model 3?

See Drivers Education Handbook 101.

 

[kx2top]

how often should I add air in my tires? I’ve had my car since end of February and today a message came up that my tires were low. I just wonder how to maintain the air in tires. My previous car notified me when I needed to add air. Thanks! often should add air to their tires on the model 3?

It sounds like your present car notified you also.

 

[RacerXT]

how often should I add air in my tires? I’ve had my car since end of February and today a message came up that my tires were low. I just wonder how to maintain the air in tires. My previous car notified me when I needed to add air. Thanks! often should add air to their tires on the model 3?

I check my tire pressure monthly. I bought a portable air pump, mostly for emergencies, to fill up my tires at home. It cost about 25.00. So much easier than going to the gas station. That and wheel alignments help make your tires last longer. I bought a lifetime wheel alignment at Firestone for 200.00. I did this with my last car and had 8 wheel alignments for 160.00 total. I had the car for 13 years.

 

[Bobo818]

I check my tire pressure monthly. I bought a portable air pump, mostly for emergencies, to fill up my tires at home. It cost about 25.00. So much easier than going to the gas station. That and wheel alignments help make your tires last longer. I bought a lifetime wheel alignment at Firestone for 200.00. I did this with my last car and had 8 wheel alignments for 160.00 total. I had the car for 13 years.

Thank you!

 

[puckpurnell]

When curious about air pressure, simply press the right hand roller and say "Show tire pressure." Presto, the screen shows all four tire pressures. Need air, add. Repeat as necessary.

 

[Quagmire2]

The only problem with checking the tire pressure through the app or if you driven more than 5 miles or so is you're now reading hot tire pressure. Air in the tires should be checked and filled when cold( aka hasn't been driven yet).

The reason the app is tricky is because it is reading what the pressure was currently the moment you got home after driving. It doesn't update the values again until you start driving again. So again it would be reading hot tire pressure.

 

[tm1v2]

The only problem with checking the tire pressure through the app or if you driven more than 5 miles or so is you're now reading hot tire pressure. Air in the tires should be checked and filled when cold( aka hasn't been driven yet).

The reason the app is tricky is because it is reading what the pressure was currently the moment you got home after driving. It doesn't update the values again until you start driving again. So again it would be reading hot tire pressure.

@Quagmire2 On my 2021 with BLE TPMS the initial readings come in within a few hundred feet of driving. That's still a "cold" reading, if you started off at ambient temps.

 

[RSpanner]

So..how accurate is the TPMS read outs anyway?

 

[tm1v2]

So..how accurate is the TPMS read outs anyway?

@RSpanner Accurate enough given that it only reports whole PSI increments. The BLE TPMS, my cheapo pen gauge, and my portable compressor's 0.5 PSI increment digital readout all read within 1 PSI of each other.

I wouldn't use the TPMS readings to set my pressures, too clunky and too much rounding for that, but they're accurate enough to help catch a slow leak early, or show when it's time to top off for winter, or show when the service center overfilled the tires to 45 PSI cold.

It's also accurate enough to show when one side of the car was sitting in direct sun for a while. 2 PSI difference just from that!

 

[RSpanner]

Still using my Drager hand held. If I had a memory it would all be ok. Looks like I will use it again.

 

[Quagmire2]

@Quagmire2 On my 2021 with BLE TPMS the initial readings come in within a few hundred feet of driving. That's still a "cold" reading, if you started off at ambient temps.

Hence why I said if you check it after you already driven more than 5 miles....

 

[topboxman]

Get this:

Mini Tesla Model 3/Y Gauge Cluster Screen|LCD Display|Hansshow

Ultra mini design-Only 4.6-inches are suitable for tesla model 3/Y.Various driving info all in mini LCD gauge cluster screen. Give wide vision when you driving.

www.hautopart.com

You will be able to see your tire pressure all the time.

See this thread:

I really like Hansshow Ultra Mini Screen Display

I bought and installed Hansshow Ultra Mini Screen Display. I like looking straight rather than tilting my head to the right to look at Tesla monitor while driving. I also like to view the status of tire pressure all the time to make sure tire pressure is always good. It's relatively cheap price...

teslamotorsclub.com

Peter

 

[dmurphy]

You do realize that you can check it on your Tesla App right while in bed every night.

Press on Controls on your Tesla App and on the upper right corner you will see PSI, tap on that. Make sure to update your app located in the App Store.

... not if you're in FSD Beta, not yet. The car firmware is still too backrev'd for that.

 

[jkdman123]

Glad this thread came up. I’ve been meaning to check my pressures and keep forgetting to do so. I just checked via the app, and I’m a little low on all 4 tires. First to do on my list tomorrow morning is to top them off.

Thanks!

Is this in the iPhone app?? I don't have a tire press icon Controls in my app. . . .

EDIT: ok, read farther and discovered that it's not available for those with FSD beta.

 

[ColoradoMike]

So does this one. It shows up as an alert on the screen, and if you let it get to the red level it will alert you. These type of things are very area dependent, but since you are looking for a suggestion, and are in my general area (SoCal), I will tell you that I check my tire pressure via a physical gauge at least twice a year, and definitely right about now (Nov) because when it gets colder, you generally have to put air in your tires.

EV range is a bit more susceptible to tire pressure, so I spot check it in the on screen menus about once every 4-6 weeks, and I have a small air compressor thing I use to put air in the tire when it drops some.

I never wait till the car tells me, since by that time, you have likely getting less range due to lack of air pressure.

Thats what I do, but you definitely could do whatever you did before, because this car will tell you just like your last one. Losing range in this one tends to bother people more than other cars though so /shrug...

I personally check tire pressures every couple of weeks on ALL of our vehicles. TPMS is a NICE feature but is susceptible to a ton of issues...as @jjrandorin stated, it is up to you to figure out your "tire pressure checks". For us, I check them every week or so, overkill perhaps but I am used to looking at my Porsche for track stuff.....so it is a habit.

You all know that you can just check air pressures in the app, right? Go to controls and up in the top right corner is an icon with a half tire (looks like a donut to me for some reason) and the letters - psi. Get in a habit of checking it regularly- easy enough and can save frustration if a flat, etc.

Correct! You can! GOOD suggestion! But also check it regularly with a reliable pressure gauge.

Yeah, I know you can do this now, but Its still "new" to me. Checking there is not a part of my routine yet. Thanks for the reminder.

Since these cars have no spare, I check the pressure before almost any drive; so easy to do. Reminds me of pre flighting a plane. If one tire is more than a couple of PSI down from the others, I assume I have a leak and get it checked out. I have used this method on my 30 year old, 240k mile Ford, although manually and not near as often as the Tesla, and have never had a flat on the road. I always caught problems before a total flat. The jack for that car and the temporary spare tire have never been used.

GREAT advice, however, most folks (myself included as a Pilot), I do not check the pressures "before almost any drive". Out M3LR is a Daily Driver so this is not practical. This is where the TPMS system comes in as a "BACKUP".

@RSpanner Accurate enough given that it only reports whole PSI increments. The BLE TPMS, my cheapo pen gauge, and my portable compressor's 0.5 PSI increment digital readout all read within 1 PSI of each other.

I wouldn't use the TPMS readings to set my pressures, too clunky and too much rounding for that, but they're accurate enough to help catch a slow leak early, or show when it's time to top off for winter, or show when the service center overfilled the tires to 45 PSI cold.

It's also accurate enough to show when one side of the car was sitting in direct sun for a while. 2 PSI difference just from that!

Every person will have a tolerance level on where their tire pressures are. A good "HABIT" to get into, Public Service Announcement (PSA) , is check your tire pressures a couple times of month. Just take a pressure gauge and see if they are OK!

If anyone cares....here is a tried and true EASY/ACCURATE gauge to use. TONS of us use this at the track for our Porsche events and it simply works:

VERY GOOD tire pressure gauge

ALL TPMS systems are subject to failure at some point in time. Battery, connection issues, etc......

You can have the best vehicle on the road but if "where the rubber meets the road" is not working....then "all bets are off!"....

 

[Kandiru]

Another kudos for the OEM TPMS, I have a very precise Taiwanese gauge and the pressure is right on, rarely 1PSI difference.
It is in Service submenu.