TPMS light was on this morning....

[BigWillie]

Last night was the coldest night yet this season, the temp dropped just below 30 degrees F. I usually remotely start my car and let it run for about 10 mins. This morning when I jumped into it to leave after letting it warm up, I immediately noticed the TPMS light was on! I got out and looked around at my tires and sure enough nothing was wrong. A couple months back I decided to up my tire pressure 3-4 psi to improve my ride and I also got my first tire rotation. After the rotation I reset the TPMS myself and it seemed to work fine, but now it came on due to the cold weather? Is this going to happen every morning after freezing weather? Personally I think the TPMS is pointless, I visually inspect my car almost every day (obsessive/compulsive) looking for anything wrong. Like I've stated in another post about TPMS, what good is TPMS if your driving 70 MPH and get a blowout, that warning light isn't going to offer much assistance. A major part of the reasoning behind TPMS was the whole Firestone incident, I think it was Firestone tires, please correct me if I'm wrong. Just so everyone knows, ALL new motor vehicles will be equiped with TPMS within a few years, I forgot the timeline, which is mandated by the U.S. Gov. Here's a link:

http://www.tireindustry.org/governme...s_comments.asp

What's worse is the fees associated with buying and installing the appropriate parts in your rims. I have heard that you can use the TPMS parts from your original rims if you buy aftermarket. Question, what if you plan to keep your OEM rims and tires for winter, do you have to go out and spend $400-500 for new parts for the new rims? Will the light always come if you don't have the parts installed? I know for sure that the dealer WILL NOT disable the warning light!

When I got my tires rotated at Town Fair Tire in NH, the store manager said that the TPMS only needs to be functional as the car rolls off the dealer lot. I hope that's the case and that it doesn't become part of the vehicle inspection process! As it is, NH has finally made emissions testing LAW and not just recommendation for all vehicles manufactured after 2002, what's next SALES TAX(NH residents currently pay NO sales tax for anything)!? They better change their state motto!

I got to get back to work.....more to come on this subject, I am certainly not done with this!!

[AGBill]

Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System alert could be explained with simple physics: Heat increases air pressure in a confined space and cold decreases pressure. If you last adjusted your tire pressure when it was an 80 Deg F day and last night it was 25 Deg F, your tire pressure could have gone down several PSI and set off the alert.

I have a 2007 SE instead of an LE, but the recommended tire pressure is probably the same at 32 PSI. The owners manual does not say what PSI the TPMS alerts at, but I would guess that it is about 24-25 PSI. You may want to recheck your tire pressures on a similar cold day and add air as required. There is a good chance that the alert will go away.

Or the TPMS could have a problem that the dealer will fix under warranty.....

Good Luck

[BigWillie]

The temps have remained the same lately at night and into the morning and the light has come on again and eventually goes out. I will try checking the tire pressure tomorrow morning and add air accordingly. Thanks.

[roverggm]

Originally Posted by AGBill

I have a 2007 SE instead of an LE, but the recommended tire pressure is probably the same at 32 PSI. The owners manual does not say what PSI the TPMS alerts at, but I would guess that it is about 24-25 PSI. You may want to recheck your tire pressures on a similar cold day and add air as required. There is a good chance that the alert will go away.

Or the TPMS could have a problem that the dealer will fix under warranty.....

Good Luck

I beleive the recommeded tire pressures are on the driver's door jamb

[BigWillie]

Originally Posted by roverggm

I beleive the recommeded tire pressures are on the driver's door jamb

I think he's referring to the TPMS alert setting and your right, the info label in the door jab has it there. I also noted that I increased my tire pressure a little over the recommended factory air pressure rating. Although, the weather was still nice out when I set my air pressure higher and reset the TPMS back when I had my tires rotated, so it would make sense now that it's cold to get a really low reading!

[DSRBLTOYS]

For anyone still searching, remember the spare tire is also checked by the system! If you adjust the four tires you see, and forget about the spare, the light will be tripped.

[geoff5093]

Wow holy thread bump!

Here I was wondering how it could have been 30F last night after reading all of these posts, lol

[njerald]

Originally Posted by DSRBLTOYS

For anyone still searching, remember the spare tire is also checked by the system! If you adjust the four tires you see, and forget about the spare, the light will be tripped.

More BS, erroneous info spread!!!!!!

The spacesaver spare DOES NOT have a TPMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!