After driving into Sainsburys to check my tyre pressure I then had to drive out again because I couldn't work out what pressure the tyres should be. Why is the little diagram on the fuel cap so complicated !!! I now know that my engine output is 103Kw but then there appears to be two columns under a picture of several people and 1 suitcase and then futher columns under more people and more suitcases- ok so normal load and fully loaded but why the two columns under each section? Then the tyre pressure is given in a figure of 2.2 something or other. But the tyre pressure gauge seems to be in figures on 10s of bar rather than 2. something. Can anyone please help?

I've got a 2 ltr elegance DSG with possibly under or over -inflated tyres! Standard tyres that came with the car.

I think the 2 columns are for front tyres and rear tyres corresponding with the way the car is pointing in the diagram.

One bar is 14.5psi (pounds per square inch) so 2 bar is 29psi on the gauge and 2.2 is 32psi in round numbers.

Correct - 32 p.s.i is near enough 2.2 bar. If the car is chock full of passengers and luggage put another 3 or 4 psi in the rears.

Thank you - never would have worked that out myself.

Try running at 30 PSI all round it seems to make the ride less harsh.

I would never use a filling station airline gauge, for a start they are chucked around and driven over so accuracy is very suspect, plus checking tires when they are hot from running will not be right.

Try running at 30 PSI all round it seems to make the ride less harsh.

I would never use a filling station airline gauge, for a start they are chucked around and driven over so accuracy is very suspect, plus checking tires when they are hot from running will not be right.

Agree the last point, but don't the Trading Standards Officers check up on the guages' accuracy? And shouldn't they be capable of withstanding being driven over?

Petrol station gauges arent calibrated so are for referance use only.

All dealers should be using calibrated tyre pressure gauges

Get your own tire gauge they are not expensive, I have both the old Chrome on brass pop up gauge, very accurate and a digital gauge that reads both in PSI and BAR. This enables me to do them at home when the tires are cold and I have an old brass barreled foot pump, some 40 years old, to bring the tires up to pressure if needed and exercise my right leg.

Gas station gauges are for the amature driver and those who seek to drive on "guess what" tire pressures.

Get your own tire gauge they are not expensive, I have both the old Chrome on brass pop up gauge, very accurate and a digital gauge that reads both in PSI and BAR. This enables me to do them at home when the tires are cold and I have an old brass barreled foot pump, some 40 years old, to bring the tires up to pressure if needed and exercise my right leg.

Gas station gauges are for the amature driver and those who seek to drive on "guess what" tire pressures.

Absolutely! I do the same. Decent TPG is not expensive this is the one I have got, very easy to use and accurate, details here;- 0-60 PSI/Bar Swivel Head Tyre Pressuer Gauge and a foot pump is

As to pressures; I would guess something like 2.1/2.2 bar Front and 1.9/2.0 bar Rear with the rears going up to 2.4/2.5 if Fully laden. Perhaps this will help you interpret the filler cap label.

Question: Does the filler cap label take account of the car being fitted with 18's? I think reference to the handbook is advisable to ensure the pressure is that attributable to your wheel and tyre size.