For your car to perform properly: Keep an eye on tyre pressure

Tyres are a key component of any vehicle and its only point of contact with the road. If there is a problem with the tyres, even the most sophisticated technology above them cannot compensate for it. Proper care of a vehicle’s tyres affects driving safety, comfort, fuel consumption and many other aspects of operation.

10. 3. 2026 Škoda World

Tyre pressure is one of the parameters that engineers define at the very beginning of a vehicle’s development. “Design engineers dimension other components of the vehicle in relation to it, especially chassis components, and they fine-tune the vehicle’s set-up accordingly,” says Jiří Pazděrný, a tyre specialist at Škoda Auto. “If a driver does not respect the pressures specified by the manufacturer, there is a risk that the car will not behave as it was designed to,” the expert adds.

The recommended tyre pressure is set so that all key characteristics of the tyre are balanced as effectively as possible. The aim is for the tyre to achieve sufficient service life in operation, provide a high level of driving comfort, help deliver the shortest possible braking distance, while not unnecessarily increasing fuel consumption and at the same time contributing to good handling.

Reconciling all these requirements is far from simple. “Škoda Auto engineers begin the development process by creating a list of requirements in which they define all the objectives and technical parameters of the tyre that must be met in order for it to be approved and subsequently put into series production,” Pazděrný explains.

Check the correct tire pressure even when the weather changes. As temperatures drop or rise, tire pressure also changes and needs to be adjusted accordingly

Tyre pressure deserves regular attention

For a vehicle to behave as its designers intended, it is necessary to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. In modern cars, air pressure in the tyres is monitored by a tyre pressure loss detection system, but this usually only issues a warning once the pressure drops below a certain critical value. Drivers should therefore check the pressure themselves approximately once a month and adjust it if necessary, according to the current temperature or vehicle load.

The pressure label affixed to the vehicle body typically indicates two pressure values: one for partial load and one for full load. “When the overall weight of the vehicle increases, the pressure in the tyres also needs to be increased in order to maintain good driving and operating characteristics,” says Pazděrný. Pressure therefore needs to be adjusted, for example, if you normally drive your car alone but occasionally set off on a long holiday with the whole family and a fully loaded boot.

The tire pressure is specified by the manufacturer not only in the owner's manual, but you can also find it on a label located on the car body

It is also necessary to react to temperature changes. In cold weather, the pressure inside the tyres decreases, while in hot conditions it rises. “Inflate the tyres before driving and at the temperatures in which the car will be used. It makes little sense to adjust the pressure when you have just left a heated garage and driven into freezing conditions. Afterwards, it is necessary to store the new pressure value in the infotainment system so that the tyre pressure loss detection system can function correctly,” Pazděrný comments on the adjustments.

Driving on underinflated or overinflated tires can be dangerous and shortens the life of the tires

How incorrect pressure can cause damage

Underinflated tyre:
● reduces vehicle stability and driving safety
● increases fuel consumption
● reduces steering precision
● in extreme cases leads to excessive wear in the shoulder area (the outer edges of the tread)

Overinflated tyre:
● worsens handling on wet surfaces
● increases braking distance
● reduces ride comfort
● in extreme cases leads to excessive wear in the central tread area

Combination (underinflated and overinflated):
A situation where both phenomena occur simultaneously is also risky. The vehicle then enters a state of significant dynamic imbalance, resulting in a combination and amplification of all negative effects.