Seven Things to Know About Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

Know Your TPMS

Its Fall (2014) and time once again for your car’s equivalent of Seasonal Affective Disorder, your Tire Pressure Monitoring System or TPMS. If equipped, one of the two TPMS warning indicators shown will soon attempt to get your attention (Drivers most commonly describe the lights as horseshoes with exclamation points or arrows in them but they are actually a “slice” of a tire). Here are seven things you should know about TPMS.

1)

Unlike any other yellow/amber or red light, these indicators do not normally point to a problem with the car. Rather they are meant to inform. It may be annoying, but the light is doing its job and alerting you to the risk of low tire pressure.

2)

The light comes on (first) in the fall primarily because air shrinks when it cools. So as autumn takes hold and the weather cools, the air in your tires—including the spare—will shrink causing the pressure in your tires to go down. If you are fortunate enough to have a system that also shows the actual pressure in your tires, you will be able to see that they have all “lost” the same amount of pressure.

3)

If the cause is cold weather, no air has actually been lost – it is simply that the existing air is no longer capable of filling the same space! In colder climates, you will likely be prompted to add air to your tires two or three times before the onset of spring. Note that tires will warm while driving, and so the light may resolve itself after a few miles. You will see the light again once the tires cool down. Also, if you garage your vehicle at night, you may only see the light while out and about in the cool air, which can be confusing.

4)

The text indicator, TPMS, is a Malfunction Indicator only. If your vehicle is equipped with this additional tell tale and it remains lit, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System is not operating and needs to be checked by a qualified repair facility.

5)

If your vehicle has only the picture symbols AND there is a malfunction, the indicator will flash. Have it checked by a qualified repair facility.

6)

Do not ignore the possibility that one tire may have picked up a nail or other object and is actually leaking air. This will activate the same warning light. Make a visual inspection of your tires any time the light comes on. A leaking tire will quite likely look “flatter” than the other three. Get to your favorite service department fast!

7)

No other system in your car requires attention due to the season! Fortunately, the cure is relatively simple, and while service departments dislike the annoyance of constant calls regarding TPMS light “trouble” in the fall, most will check and refill your tires at no cost. After all, they will and should be happy to have you available for additional service!

And finally, if your car is NOT equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, your tires will still need some seasonal help. Check your tire pressures!

Related posts and videos:

https://dashboardsymbols.com///2010/09/tire-pressure-monitoring-system/

TPMS video.

And this one, helping you fill your tires!

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.