A Small Compressor Belongs In The Trunk

A tire-pressure warning is much less annoying when the fix is already in the car.

I keep a small compressor in the trunk and check the tires before driving more than a mile, especially after a cold night. Seattle’s temperature swings are enough to turn a marginal tire into a dashboard warning without creating a new leak.

The target number is on the driver’s door-jamb sticker. The number molded into the tire is the maximum pressure, not the number I should use. I check all four tires while they are cold, add air to the door-jamb number, and put the cap back on.

The compressor is useful for topping up, not for ignoring a slow leak. If one tire is low again a few days later, it needs a proper inspection. The device just saves a trip to a gas station for the first five minutes of the problem.