Tire Pressure Monitoring System TPMS

As if you needed a reminder of one more thing that could go wrong with your car, if your car or light duty truck was manufactured after 9/1/2007 it has a light that looks like one of these.

The Transportation, Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act passed by Congress in 2000 requires all passenger cars, light trucks and busses to be equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Hence, we now have a TPMS warning lite to contend with. The act requires manufacturers to calibrate the lite to come on when tire pressure drops below 25% of the recommended pressure. Some systems are more sensitive than others, some additionally warn of overinflation, and some monitor the spare tire pressure. In most systems if the light is on constantly there is a pressure problem; if the light flashes constantly there is a problem with the TPMS system. So, if the light comes on the first thing to do is check your tire pressures. Every vehicle has a tire plackard (decal) usually on the drivers door or in the door jam. This is where you find the recommended pressure - not on the tire. Don't forget to check the spare - it may have its own recommended tire pressure. If one tire is low, have it checked and repaired. Remember it's better to patch than to plug a tire. If all of the tires are low adjust them to the proper pressure and see what happens. Most systems reset themselves after driving a few miles. If not, check the owner's manual - there may be a reset procedure to follow. Tire pressure drops 1 pound for every 10 degree drop in temperature and it's natural for any tire to lose 1 pound of pressure each month so fall and winter is when most people are introduced to their TPMS system. By the way, some earlier model vehicles came with TPMS even prior to the tREAD act. One that comes to mind is the 5th generation Corvette. The C5 came with a revolutionary new tire design dubbed Run-Flat. The tire could still support the weight of the car and be driven on safely even without air pressure (for a limited time). the problem GM soon realized was that owners couldnt tell when the tires were inflated or not and so a TPMS system became standard equipment. It's all part of the constant evolution of the industry. Some systems can be a downright neusance but they do serve a valid purpose. Remember, our parents and/or grandparents may have scoffed at such annoying features as seatbelts.