Every vehicle has a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that will turn on when the pressure in your tires is too low, which can cause faster tread wear, tire failure, and unsafe driving conditions. To ensure your safety and the safety of others while driving, it’s important to pay attention to this sensor and to know what to do if it ever lights up.
While overinflating your tires can cause premature wear in the center of the tire and make it difficult for the tire to absorb shock, tires that are low on air will wear faster on the outer sides of the tread and can impact the integrity of the tires as well as your gas mileage and fuel economy.
When your TPMS lights up, as soon as it’s safe to do so, pull over and manually check your tire pressure with a tire pressure gauge. If the tires are low, add air until the pressure reaches the manufacturer’s recommended pounds per square inch (PSI). This can be located in the door jamb on the driver’s front door or in the vehicle’s manual.
Keep in mind that sometimes, TPMSs go bad or report false readings. Because of this, these sensors do not replace regular tire pressure checks. It’s important to check your car’s tires’ PSI on a monthly basis, before a road trip, or if you’re loading something extra heavy in your car.
Lastly, never ignore a TPMS dashboard alert! If it’s lit, there’s more than likely a problem and your safety relies on fixing it. Even if it ends up being a false alarm, it’s better to know for sure rather than put off taking care of it. If your TPMS does not turn off after filling up your tires to the recommended PSI, bring your car in to see us — we will check it out!