Winter Tyre Pressure: How to Handle Low-Pressure Warnings

Cold weather changes your tyres in ways you might not notice — until a warning light appears. Here's how to keep the right pressure in winter and what to do when the alert comes on.

Tyre pressure naturally fluctuates with temperature, driving time and load. In winter, cold air contracts, so tyre pressure reads lower than on a warm day. The difference shows up faster than you might think. In winter, cold air makes tyres read lower, so a low-pressure warning is more likely to appear — often on a single tyre. The good news: it's easy to check and fix. Here's how to handle winter tyre pressure with confidence — and what to do when the tyre pressure warning appears.

Know your car's standard tyre pressure

The recommended tyre pressure for your XPENG is listed on the tyre pressure label on the B-pillar — the door pillar behind the driver's door. These are cold-tyre values, meaning the recommended pressure when the tyres haven't been driven on recently. Keep the tyres at the standard pressure in normal conditions. Note that the exact figure can vary with vehicle weight and tyre type, so always use your car's own label as the reference.

Check your tyres monthly

Pressure drifts with temperature and usage, so it pays to check regularly. Once a month, check each tyre's pressure on the instrument cluster display and top up to the standard value as needed. A quick monthly check takes two minutes and protects both your tyres and your range. Correct pressure also matters for efficiency: under-inflated tyres increase energy consumption, which costs range in a season when you want every kilometre.

When the low-pressure warning appears

The tyre pressure monitoring system light is your cue to act — most warnings are easier to resolve than they look. Here's a simple sequence: Don't panic when the light comes on — the system is doing its job. Stay calm and follow the steps:

1. Pull over safely and check the tyres by eye. Look for a nail, cut or other obvious damage. 2. If there's no visible damage, top the tyre up to the standard pressure using a pump. If you don't have one in the car, a nearby service station air pump will do. 3. If you can see a nail or damage, don't keep driving — a damaged tyre can worsen quickly. Drive carefully to a nearby tyre shop for repair.

2. Monitor after topping up. The system re-reads the pressure as you drive. If the warning returns quickly, get the tyre inspected. 5. If the tyre can't be repaired and you can't drive on, use roadside assistance. Stay in the car or move to a safe spot while you wait — safety comes first, especially on a busy road. In Australia, XPENG offers 24/7 roadside assistance — you can request help through the XPENG app, which covers the majority of the country.

A sensible habit: keep a pump in the car

Carrying a small air pump is a simple habit that pays off. For cold weather tyres, it's as useful as a warm jacket. If you're heading to the snowfields for the weekend, check your pressures the night before — cold alpine mornings are exactly when warnings appear. If a tyre is low in the middle of nowhere, you can top it up yourself instead of waiting for help. It's one of those winter essentials that earns its space in the boot.

The bottom line

Winter tyre pressure comes down to three habits: know your B-pillar label, check monthly, and handle warnings calmly. A tyre that's correctly inflated is safer, wears better and costs less to run — in any season. In winter, it's also the difference between a smooth drive and a chilly roadside wait.