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What You Need to Know About Tire-Pressure Monitoring Systems | Edmunds

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,316
edited March 2019 in General

imageWhat You Need to Know About Tire-Pressure Monitoring Systems | Edmunds

A TPMS warning light doesn't come on until a tire is 25 percent below the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure, which is well below the pressure required for safe driving. It's no substitute for monthly tire-pressure checks.

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Comments

  • mariolpmariolp Member Posts: 1
    The sensors in the tires eventually fail when their batteries run out. Right? The TPMS warning light in my car was flashing one time while I was driving last week. I believe that's to indicate a problem with my car's TPMS. The light turned off after about a minute and never came back on. The light hasn't come back on again. Is it telling me that it's time for me to replace my sensors? My car is about six years old. Is the TPMS failure message a one time occurrence, or should the light flash every time I turn on my car?
  • screenname1screenname1 Member Posts: 2
    dude, maybe consider chilling out just a little bit...I've been driving for 33 years. During that time, I have only ever checked my tire pressure when tires "looked low", I have never been "vigilant" about how much air is in my tires, and my tires have never caused me to get into an accident. And surprisingly, my tires tend to last at least as long as the manufacturers say they should. Now granted, I won't own a vehicle that is prone to roll over in an accident (because duh), but after I write this, I will cease to waste another thought on anything to do with tire pressure monitoring systems. It was a very well-written article about something useless though.
  • screenname1screenname1 Member Posts: 2
    ...at least, I won't think about it until the stupid little yellow light malfunctions, which I'll ignore until my car fails inspection because of it, and I'll have to take it into the shop (probably more than once) and waste hours and hundreds of dollars. Yay little yellow light.
  • LisamRayLisamRay Member Posts: 1
    So the article says that the TPMS only comes in vehicles 2008 and above right? So then why does my 2004 Nissan Titan, my 2005 Nissan Xterra and my 2006 Nissan Pathfinder have it? And why does the tire pressure light in my Xterra always come on after driving for an hour or so? And everytime I check my tires with a gauge and they are all fine!
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 260,647
    LisamRay said:

    So the article says that the TPMS only comes in vehicles 2008 and above right? So then why does my 2004 Nissan Titan, my 2005 Nissan Xterra and my 2006 Nissan Pathfinder have it? And why does the tire pressure light in my Xterra always come on after driving for an hour or so? And everytime I check my tires with a gauge and they are all fine!

    I think it's only required in vehicles 2008 or newer.

    My 2006 has a warning, but it's tied to the ABS/stability control sensors. It isn't an actual sensor at the wheel that is measuring current air pressure. It is measuring differences in rolling circumference.

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  • Criticalthinker713Criticalthinker713 Member Posts: 1
    So is it possible that when you first turn your car on the light could take some time to come on depending the sequence of the transmitters or if the car hasn't been driven in a while and is still parked?
  • PolestarPolestar Member Posts: 1
    Prior to Septermber 2007, TPMS was not the law in the USA. Therefore, if one has TPMS prior to that date and didn't select it as an option, its likely manufactures were installing there TPMS in some cars to test them prior to the law. Legislation had been in the works since 2000.
    I hate TPMS!. Fortunately, with one of my cars I have the option to remove it. 2004 Saab 9-3 Aero. I now have one bad sensor and instead of replacing, I'm yanking them out of all wheels. Won't the dash light stay on if you do that? Good questions (I'm pretending you asked) My owners manual states the warning light will not activate if none of the wheels have sending units. However, if any of the wheels have sending units the warning light will come on. They anticipated owners having a second set of winter tires/ wheels w/o TPMS sending units, and made that feature available.
  • dinabethdinabeth Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2010, 2007 the tpms was passed The Tread Act, only GM new tires come with tpms. If you buy new tires make sure you ask for tpms to be installed but what the cost as they vary very much so, $180 --$750 ( parts, labor). I purchased new tires in 2016 at 47K its now 2021 I have 54K (yeah I don't go anywhere), anyway tires are supposed to change out every 5-7 years or 90K. My valves started "blowing" poof off into the air, factual statement. To have all 4 replaced I spent nearly $600 (not including loss of work) and Easter with my family. The change of tires & tows were free, road side assistance thank the Lord. If you can do the work yourself look into it, it's so much cheaper. Their are also other avenues to cut around the senor light going off. I don't recommend this option for someone who is not mechanically knowledgeable.
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