The Toyota Corolla is a versatile automobile that is respected for its great gas mileage as well as its ability to be a high performance car. No matter what your needs from this car, you will want to secure the highest level of quality from it. One often overlooked way of improving gas mileage and performance is having adequate tire pressure.
Shut off your Corolla and allow it to rest for at least an hour after driving. Even a small amount of driving causes enough tire friction to heat the tires and air. This alters the actual tire pressure. Letting the tires cool eliminates this effect.
Remove all four valve stem caps from the tires. These small black tips can be unscrewed with your fingers.
Find the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure molded on the side of the rubber. Toyota says for optimal performance you should maintain a tire pressure level of more than 26 psi and less than 36 psi. PSI stands for pounds per square inch.
Place the open end of your tire pressure gauge over the valve stem and press down firmly. There will be a small amount of air leaking, so move the gauge around until this stops. This is a sign of a good connection.
Compare the current air pressure on your Corolla with the recommended pressure. Add or remove air based on the results of your test.
Consider your tire's load range if you find your Corolla's tires consistently low. You can find your load range on the side of the tire, normally represented by a number followed by a letter. The 2009 Toyota Corolla comes manufactured with P195/65R15 89S tires. The 89 is the load index of your Corolla and translates to mean each tire is designed to handle up to 1,279 lbs. Any more than this on any one side of your car will likely cause your tires to deflate.
