Sourced fact
The Highway Code source says to check pressure before a journey while tyres are cold.
Maintenance · UK
Winter cold tyre-pressure checks for an EV
Check tyre pressure before the journey while the tyres are cold. Use the exact vehicle manufacturer's load-specific value from the handbook or vehicle data placard, then measure every road tyre with an accurate gauge. Stop and obtain tyre-professional help if the setting is unavailable, a tyre is visibly low, damaged or repeatedly loses pressure.
Reviewed
Key facts and evidence
For UK drivers, reviewed 12 August 2026, E3 permits a cold tyre-pressure check without lifting the vehicle. The comparison must use the exact manufacturer's setting for the load being carried, not a tyre-sidewall maximum or another model's value. A warm reading can mislead, and persistent loss, visible damage or an unknown specification requires professional help.
Sourced fact
Use the manufacturer's pressure for the exact vehicle and load being carried.
Sourced fact
An unknown setting, visible defect or repeated pressure loss ends this owner check.
How to compare cold tyre-pressure readings with the exact vehicle and load specification, without guessing a pressure.
Use the correct reference
The vehicle setting for the load is the reference; a tyre-sidewall maximum or another model's value is not.
Why the reading is cold
The cited Highway Code guidance specifies a pre-journey cold check because a warm tyre can give a misleading reading.
What to do next
Driving remains conditional on establishing the correct load-specific setting and finding no loss or visible defect.
Immediate action: Complete the cold-pressure comparison before the journey and record every road-tyre reading.
- Stop if a tyre is visibly low, damaged or cannot hold the specified pressure.
- Stop if the correct load-specific setting cannot be established.
Checks that stay with this vehicle
Before the journey, find the load-specific pressure in the exact handbook or vehicle data placard.
A manufacturer setting matched to the exact vehicle and load is available.
Stop if the setting is missing, unclear or belongs to another vehicle configuration.
While the tyres are cold, measure every road tyre with an accurate gauge and record each reading.
Each road tyre has a readable result that can be compared with the matched setting.
Stop for visible damage, repeated loss, a faulty valve or a reading that cannot be obtained safely.
Professional hand-off
- Use a tyre specialist when pressure loss persists, the setting is unavailable or a defect is visible.
Questions this record can answer
What does the sourced evidence say about use the correct reference?
The vehicle setting for the load is the reference; a tyre-sidewall maximum or another model's value is not.
What does the sourced evidence say about why the reading is cold?
The cited Highway Code guidance specifies a pre-journey cold check because a warm tyre can give a misleading reading.