If you need to check tire pressure in Portugal, the good news is that it is usually a very quick job at a gas station.

Checking my tire pressure is definitely not the most exciting part of living in Portugal, but it is one of those very normal little jobs that has to be done.

I recently stopped at a gas station to check and inflate my tires while I was out running errands. I had already included this moment in one of my mini vlogs, but since I filmed the whole process, I thought it might actually be useful to show it separately.

Especially if you have recently moved to Portugal, rented or bought a car here, or simply found yourself standing in front of one of these machines wondering what to press.

And yes, it is very easy once you know what you are doing.

Checking Tire Pressure at a Gas Station in Portugal

Many gas stations in Portugal have a self-service machine where you can check your tire pressure and add air if needed.

The machine I used was very straightforward. I selected the pressure I needed, connected the hose to each tire and let the machine do its job.

Nothing glamorous. Just real life.

And, judging by my hands afterwards, definitely one of those errands where finding somewhere to wash them is part of the process.

First, Check the Correct Tire Pressure for Your Car

Before touching the machine, you need to know the recommended tire pressure for your own car.

You can usually find this information on the vehicle itself, often around the driver’s door or fuel flap, or in the owner’s manual.

Do not simply copy the number you see in my video.

I set the machine to 2.50 bar because that was the pressure I was using for my car at the time. Your car may require something completely different.

That little detail matters much more than knowing how to operate the machine.

How I Used the Air Machine

Once I knew the pressure I needed, the actual process took only a few minutes.

1. Set the pressure on the machine

I used the controls to set the machine to 2.50 bar.

In Portugal, you will commonly see tire pressure shown in bar, rather than PSI being the main measurement.

2. Remove the tire valve cap

Unscrew the small cap from the valve before attaching the hose.

And put it somewhere sensible.

This sounds obvious until you are standing at a gas station looking at the ground wondering where that tiny black cap disappeared to.

3. Attach the hose

Connect the end of the air hose firmly to the tire valve.

The machine checks the pressure and adjusts it to the value you selected.

4. Repeat for the other tires

Once one tire is done, move on to the next one until you have checked them all.

Then replace the valve caps.

Done.

Well, almost.

5. Wash your hands

Seriously.

That was already part of my original list when I filmed the full morning vlog, and I stand by it. 

When Do I Check My Tire Pressure?

I tend to think about it particularly before longer drives, if the car tells me the tire pressure needs attention, or if something simply does not feel right.

It is also one of those small car-maintenance jobs that is much easier to deal with regularly than to ignore indefinitely.

When possible, check the pressure according to your vehicle manufacturer’s guidance and remember that tire pressure can change with temperature and driving conditions.

Bar and PSI Can Be Confusing at First

If you are used to seeing tire pressure in PSI, the numbers on a Portuguese air machine may initially look strange.

Here, bar is commonly used.

So seeing something like 2.50 on the machine does not mean your tires are alarmingly flat. You are simply looking at a different unit of measurement.

Again, the easiest option is to use the recommended pressure given for your own vehicle rather than trying to remember someone else’s number.

Just Another Very Normal Part of Life in Portugal

This is exactly the kind of everyday thing I like sharing on BySuzike.

Not everything about living in Portugal is beaches, beautiful streets and pastel de nata. Sometimes it is standing beside your car at a gas station, inflating four tires and wondering how your hands got dirty quite so quickly.

And that counts as life in Portugal too.

The tire stop was actually just one small part of a much fuller morning with my daughter. We visited my dad, stopped at the playground, sorted out the tires, went grocery shopping at Pingo Doce and somehow ended up dancing in the garage.

Watch A Morning Out in Portugal with My Daughter | Mini Vlog

If you enjoy these ordinary little glimpses of everyday life here, you can also explore more of my Life in Portugal stories and Mini Vlogs on BySuzike.

Do you check your own tire pressure, or is this one of those jobs you happily leave to someone else?