Checking your car’s tire pressures is one of the easiest and most often overlooked maintenance basics. Automakers carefully select the recommended tire pressures to balance fuel economy and safety, as well as ride, traction, and handling, so keeping your vehicle’s rubber properly inflated means experiencing the car as designed. On the track, tire pressure is the critical component of proper car setup and can drastically affect performance. Most cars today come equipped with TPMS. Using an accurate gauge will help prevent that pesky light from coming on.