TPS light....how low is low?

[Darci]

So my TPS light came on today and I actually invested in my very 1st tire pressure checker thingey.
It read 28 and 27.5 psi on the front wheels (recommended 29) and 35 and 33.5 on the rear wheels (recommended 36).
So the most one wheel was under-inflated was by 2.5 psi.

How sensitive are these TPS units?
When the manual talks about 'under-inflated' what range of psi does under-inflated refer to????

[Neonspinnazz]

I'd just fill them to their reccomended psi and if the light stays on you might need new a new TPMS.

[SuperGeek]

Before you go thinking it's a defect, hit the reset button on the dashboard that matches the warning icon. That'll reset the light and sensors to the pressure detected when the button's pressed. The pressure usually drops about 15-20% (4-5psi) for over 10 minutes of driving time before it warns you. Note, the TPMS does not warn of a very recent flat or blowout but if you have a flat, you'll definitely feel the car pull to one side. It's there to warn you that you should have bought your very first tire pressure gauge and kept an eye on your tire pressure weekly. Seriously, it really was built for the 85% of the population that simply trust their tires to be fine all the time, not realizing the tremendous importance of keeping pressure within a certain range.

P.S. The leading cause of air leaks is not the rim or the tire, it's the little cover on the valve. Keep it hand-tight. Aluminum wheels can let air percolate through over time, so don't assume the tire's a fully sealed vessel - all tires lose air over time. I add a little air to mine every 6 months.

[smart fortimo]

Taken from aa1car.com



If you see this TPMS icon illuminated, it means your vehicle has a low tire. STOP, and check the inflation pressure in your tires. This warning light will come on if tire pressure in any of your tires falls more than 25% below the recommended inflation pressure (refer to your owners manual, or the tire inflation decal in the glovebox, driver door pillar or gas tank filler cap lid for tire inflation pressure recommendations).

The TPMS warning light should come on for about one second when the ignition key is first turned on for a bulb check. It should then go out if all of the tires are properly inflated. If it does not go out, or it comes on while driving, you have a low tire.

NOTE: If the TPMS warning light is flashing, it indicates a fault has been detected in the TPMS system that will require further diagnosis. Common faults include a bad tire pressure sensor, a defective keyless entry receiver module, a fault in the TPMS or body control module (BCM), or wiring problems in the keyless entry/TPMS/BCM circuit

[CruisingAZ]

Originally Posted by SuperGeek

Before you go thinking it's a defect, hit the reset button on the dashboard that matches the warning icon. That'll reset the light and sensors to the pressure detected when the button's pressed.

Thank you, My light has been on for a week after I put air in and I did not know what to do.

[mvaldes]

In another thread, a member was discussing their problems with the TPMS light coming on while the pressures read OK on their tire pressure gauge. It turned out that the gauge was wrong and the TPMS was right...just another thing to consider.

[fpage77]

The only time my TPS came on was when I had nail in my tire (ended up replacing the tire because of where nail was).