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TPMS - Tire Pressure Monitoring System

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
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Have any of you guys had problem with the tire pressure sensor system on your car?

TPMS-dash-light.png


My 2010 Altima tire pressure light came on. I checked tire pressures; three were 32 psi, one was 30 psi.

Service Manual says the sensor activates if tire pressure drops below 26 psi. These are "in the tire" pressure sensors - not rotation speed sensors.

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this. I raised the 30 to 32, drove about ten miles, and light went off. But seems it's way too sensitive. Sensor batteries are supposed to last ten years, and two were replaced just six months ago when I bought four new tires.

Thanks.
Tom M.
 
My wife's truck, '97 Toyota 4R, has a full-sized spare. I have to check the pressure on it occasionally.
By and by: I changed the oil and little prewinter check up last weekend. What a wonderful truck, so easy to access, so very well built.
 
Thanks J-P. On that link ... I'm confoozled by the four different tire pressures:

Adjust the tire inflation pressure recommended on the tire placard located on the door panel.
  • Front LH 240 (2.4, PSI must be at 34)
    Front RH 220 (2.2, PSI must be at 31)
    Rear RH 200 (2.0, PSI must be at 29 )
    Rear LH 180 (1.8, PSI must be at 26)

Doesn't that seem weird?
 
Flash - problem solved. The tire gauge was showing six pounds over (what I assume is) actual pressure.

Used another gauge, raised pressure to 33psi, and warning light went off.

Started a new topic on gauge accuracy over in Restoration and Tools.

T.
 
The TPMS varies from car to car. On the Chevy Van - it follows the sensors, so when you rotate tires, if you don't reset the TPMS, you get some wacky numbers. To reset it, you have to let air out until it beeps, which would seem counter-intuitive as by letting air out, that would cause the TPMS to alert you. The VW is much more straightforward, it goes off, fill up the tire with air and reset using a button in the glove compartment.

It is helpful, as one day I got a call from Mrs. Saxman "Hey, why is there an exclamation point lighting up". Um, honey, you're about to get a flat tire...
 
TPMS is definitely helpful - but if you can't trust your tire gauge, you can find yourself in an eternal game of "Who's Right? TPMS or my gauge?".

What surprised me from the responses on this (and the related) topic, is that there are apparently very few accurate tire gauges!

grumble grumble
 
My new truck never shows all tires at the same pressure, even though they are all the same. I don't even pay attention to it. I check my tires with a hand held gage about once a month or if one looks lower than the rest. Never had this device ever before and I don't need it now, but it came in a package with the other 50 gadgets on this truck. Some are helpful, some are ??? :rolleyes: PJ
 
Paul, All new vehicles have a low tire pressure warning system.
"If you're driving a 2008 or newer car, truck or SUV, it has a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The feature became standard on all 2008 and newer models, thanks to the TREAD Act that Congress enacted in 2000 after rollover incidents involving the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires. Some 2006 and 2007 model-year vehicles also have TPMS."
It's the Feds protecting us from ourselves.
 
Kind of funny as the Feds pass these laws and requirements, when most have chauffeurs and do not personally drive.
 
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