People are urged to double-check a setting on their cars during the latest UK heatwave to prevent a major problem on the roads. It comes as temperatures across parts of the country soar back into the 30s Celsius.

Before making any long trips this summer, check that your tyre pressure is correct and safe. Hot tarmac combined with incorrect tyre pressure is the ultimate recipe for a high-speed blowout, which could result in a serious but avoidable accident.

The AA cautions that hot weather, especially when traffic is heavy, places significant stress on vehicles and greatly increases the risk of engine failure. Important tips include checking fluid levels, making sure tyre pressure is correct, and bringing water to help prevent overheating and breakdowns in high heat. The AA says: “After several days of heatwave conditions, it is important that drivers do not become complacent.”

In hot weather, the air inside your tyres expands, increasing pressure by around 0.1 to 0.2 bar for every 10C. This sounds like a minor rise, but it could make the difference when your tyre is on the brink of a blowout.

As the temperature outside rises to extreme highs, pressure inside the increases. Because of this, a tyre that was perfectly inflated in April might become dangerously over-inflated during a July heatwave.

Checking and adjusting your tyre pressure is remarkably cheap, and often entirely free. Major national tyre and autocare chains in the UK – including Halfords, Kwik Fit, National Tyres, and Protyre – will do a complete visual tyre inspection and pressure check without charging.

And, if your car was built within the last ten years, it almost certainly could be able to check its own tyre pressure. Under EU and UK law, all new passenger cars sold since November 2014 must be fitted with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) – which automatically triggers a yellow warning light on your dashboard when your pressure drops too low.

How to fix tyre pressure issues

Depending on the issue, the solution could cost little to nothing or require a whole new tyre. For low pressure, adding air into a tyre costs less than £1 at most UK supermarkets and garage forecourts with digital machines that clip onto your tyre valve.

Sometimes a low-pressure tyre cannot legally or safely be repaired under UK safety standards, and in these situations it is best to replace the whole tyre. Depending on your car, a budget tyre costs around £50 to £90, while premium brands range from £140 up to £350 each.

Fixing high tyre pressure is free and can often be done at home or any petrol station forecourt in a matter of minutes. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

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