Adding air to your car tires at gas and petrol stations seems a bit tricky? Chill! If you are done with this once in a while, it will be a simple car maintenance task for you.
But yeah, it requires more carefulness and patience. Whatever, we are going to instruct you to do this job in a simpler way.
After reading this, you will not be in the dark of how to put air in tires at gas and petrol stations.
Let’s go!
Table of content:
How to Put Air in Tires at Gas Stations?
Processes at gas and petrol stations are almost similar to using a home air compressor. We will break each step down for you here.
Step 1: Park the vehicle in the allocated place
Position your car as if you have enough space to freely walk between the car and the pump. Moreover, the front and rear wheels will be equidistant from the pump.
Step 2: Know the recommended air pressure
You will find the recommended pressure level from the owner’s manual. In case, you don’t have it right now, look inside the door jamb of the driver’s side. Here you go.
Generally, the recommended pressure level be from 28 to 36 PSI. Whatever it is, don’t target the max pressure. Suppose, the max pressure can be 44 PSI, don’t go by this level. Go by the recommended level.
Step 3: Remove the valve cap of your tires
These black/silver colored caps are positioned on the car tires. Remove them from the tires and put in your pocket lest you shouldn’t lose them.
Step 4: Inflate the tires
Now, you have to inflate the tires to the specified pressure. To do so, hold the pump’s air chuck on the wheel’s valve stem as well as depress the lever.
Keep adding the air and rechecking the pressure through a tire gauge. Continue this until you add the desired air into it.
Step 5: Place the valve caps back
If you do inflate the tires, replace the valve caps onto each tire’s valve stem.
So, that’s what you have to do at a gas station.
How to Put Air in Tyres at Petrol Station?
As we said before, the process at a gas station and a petrol station is almost the same. Let’s see what to do if you go to a petrol station.
Step 1: Put on the plastic or rubber gloves
Just like the above, you have to position your car in a space where you can easily move between the car and the pump.
After that, you will put on the gloves that are given by the station (most petrol stations provide this).
Step 2: Remove the valve caps
You have to remove all 4 valve caps before you pay for air or start the pump. Just like before, keep them into your pocket in case you don’t lose them.
Step 3: Start the pump and select the correct pressure
Two more extra words, as the above, you have to the recommended pressure just like the above. Then pay to start the pump as well as select the correct pressure. Most of the pumps display the pressure in two different ways- PSI or BAR. You can choose PSI or BAR whatever unit you know about.
Most pump’s default measure is on BAR. If you know the pressure on BAR, press the + or – button until you get the desired value. But if you know the pressure on PSI only, hold the button (PSI/BAR). This will show you the PSI value.
There’s another case, some tire pumps have a pressure indicator inline on the hose itself. Here, most will have BAR and PSI or a dual scale and have a small lever for the pump’s operation. For these pumps, you will have to do the following:
Place and hold the nozzle on the tire vale and take a look at the dial. It will show you the current tire pressure. Now, press the lever to fill the tire. When you reach the correct pressure, release the lever. Now, go to step 5.
Step 4: Start inflating
You are going to extend the air hose. Now, place and hold the nozzle end, do it firmly over the tire valve. Try to get the nozzle on straight to avoid air leakage.
You will see the operation’s progress on the pump’s digital display. If the tire is under-inflated, the pump will force air into the tire. On the other hand, if it’s over-inflated, the pump will remove air from the tire.
If you reach the correct pressure, the pump will beep as an indication of its finishing.
An exceptional case, if the front and rear tires need different pressures, you have to return to the pump and set the new pressure and then? Then continue from the start of step 4.
Step 5: Remove the nozzle
Carefully remove the nozzle from the valve. Try to pull off it straightly because fiddling with it can cause air leakage from the tire.
Step 6: Replace the valve caps
At last, when you are totally done with the inflating stuff, place the valve caps back onto their former position.
So, that’s what you will do at a petrol station. In case you are eager to know how to put air in car tires at home, you have an option!
Conclusion
So, these were all the essential steps we need to know before putting air in tires at the petrol station. But if you have left a troubled compressor at home, we’d suggest repairing the compressor asap, so that you can do the whole thing at home or on the go.