Tire Pressure Lights: What are they? Precision Auto Germantown

Tire Pressure Lights

Hey everyone!

Today's blog post will be about the dreaded low Tire Pressure light. This light lets you know if your tires are under filled or over filled. This is NOT the TPMS light. The "TPMS" light will be a small light showing the letters "TPMS". Why are over inflated tires such a bad thing?
  • Think of your tires like a balloon. If they're too full, they can pop or "blow out". If this happens while you are driving it is very easy to lose control of your tire and in turn, your car.
  • Over inflated tires can also cause the center of the tire's tread to wear out faster than normal.
Why are under inflated tires such a bad thing?
  • If tires are under inflated the sidewall of the tire can be damaged, which can then cause a blow out. Driving with under inflated tires can damage the rims of your wheel, which are expensive to repair and replace.
What the heck does PSI mean?
  • Pounds per Square Inch. This is how tire pressure is measured, so if your tires are supposed to be set to "32 PSI" and they are at "26 PSI", that can trigger a  low tire pressure light.
Why does the tire pressure light come on when it's cold out?
  • Air contracts when it is cold out. So, the air in your tires will contract so there is a lower PSI , triggering a low tire pressure light.
How can I stop the tire pressure light from coming on?
  • Making sure you check your driver's side door jamb to see what pressure should be in your tires and filling them accordingly should take care of a regular tire pressure light.
  • Tire pressures should always be checked when the tires are cold. This means they should be checked first thing in the morning and before driving. We recommend to check the tire pressures at that time because the tires will heat up as they are used, causing the air to expand and give a false reading.
Thank you for choosing Precision Auto!

Written by Jackie Wildman