ROAD TRIPS

Check pressure on all four plus the spare when cold, against the placard in your door jamb. Check tread depth with the quarter test or a gauge. Scan each sidewall for cuts, cracks, and bulges. Confirm the jack, lug wrench, and any locking lug key are actually in the vehicle. Confirm your roadside assistance details are accessible without cell service.

Because on many routes the next service station is a long way off, and a usable spare is what turns a flat into a thirty-minute delay rather than a long wait. Spares sit ignored for years and lose pressure. Check it cold with the others using the pressure printed on the spare itself, often around 60 psi.

Heat-related failure from underinflation, which is why the pre-trip pressure check matters most. Punctures from road debris and gravel on shoulder sections. And blowouts from pre-existing damage that was never inspected. All three are largely prevented by a five-minute check before you leave.

Check each morning before you drive, when tires are cold. Do not bleed air from tires that are hot from highway running or sun exposure. Canadian trips can cross large temperature swings between regions and between day and night, and that shifts your pressure meaningfully over a few days.

A fully loaded vehicle sits closer to its maximum load rating, which usually means a higher recommended pressure. Many door placards list a separate loaded figure. Use it when you are carrying passengers and gear, and return to the standard figure afterward. Roof boxes add both weight and drag, so factor that in too.