Automotive>Tires & Brakes | Maintenance & Repair
November 10, 2022
According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 12% of the nation's passenger cars have at least one tire underinflated by 25% or more. Considering tire pressure can affect things like handling, braking, riding comfort, mileage and safety, that's a surprising statistic.
Purchasing new tires can be a pretty involved process. There's a lot to consider when making such an important purchase, especially if you're not a car enthusiast or expert.
Many late-model cars are equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which is an internal car system that alerts you when one or more tires are significantly underinflated by displaying the yellow low-tire indicator on your dashboard. Resetting your car's TPMS after the tire(s) are inflated depends on the car model, as well as whether or not you have a direct or indirect TPMS.
Tip: Tires normally lose a small amount of air pressure every day. Left unchecked, that can add up to a problem.
There are recommended techniques for both reaching and maintaining tire pressure and reducing tire wear. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, driving on underinflated tires can cause unsafe handling problems, as well as contribute to tire wear and reduced gas mileage.
Tire pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). The recommended tire pressure or psi specified by your vehicle's manufacturer or on the tire itself is there to ensure that you get optimum performance every time you drive. This includes optimum tire wear and comfort.
Granted, underinflating your tires to make them softer can result in a smoother ride and a larger contact patch (area) with the road surface.
But not without some tradeoffs.
When an underinflated tire (even by as little as 6 psi) hits a pothole, it increases the possibility of damaging it. With decreased tire pressure, the center of the tire's tread bows in slightly, causing the tire to ride on its outer edges. The result is excessive wear on the tire's inner and outer shoulders. In addition, the softer sidewall of an underinflated tire can exaggerate the sway your vehicle experiences when cornering, and may cause a top-heavy vehicle to roll over.
Tip: Make it a habit to check your tire pressure once a month.
Ultimately, low tire pressure can shorten the lifespan of your tires. Having the correct pressure in car tires also helps you get good gas mileage. To understand the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle, review the tag on the inside of the door.
Here are 6 steps to follow when checking the tire pressure:
Follow the tire pressure chart affixed to your vehicle's inside doorpost or inside the glove box. As a rule of thumb, a tire will inflate by one pound per square inch every second and a half. Some vehicles require all four tires inflated to the same psi. Others require a differential between the front and rear.Having trouble getting air in your tires or not sure if you've got the right pressure? Just keep checking periodically until you get it right.
Tip: Driving heats up your tires, which increases the psi.
It's best to check them in the morning while they are still relatively cold. You can also check them after your car has been sitting for a few hours or driven for just a few miles.
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Not many things are worse than driving with low tire pressure. Properly inflating your tires is crucial for safety, especially when you go on a long road trip or drive on the highway.
Fortunately, doing this requires only a few minutes of your time and little to no knowledge in cars or mechanics. You can do it while on the road, or when you visit a gas station. Here is everything you need to do to fix the low tire pressure.
There are a few reasons why car and tire manufacturers recommend drivers to keep the tires properly inflated. And, the primary reason for that is safety.
When the pressure in the tires is low, the overall stability will be worse than with properly inflated tires. That’s especially true if your tires are a lot of PSI (Bar) under the recommended tire pressure.
More accurately, because the tires are softer, the handling will be less responsive – your car will feel heavier. Also, the vehicle becomes unstable at very low speeds, which is only exaggerated on the highway.
Furthermore, underinflated tires worsen the performance and fuel economy of your car. While you probably won’t be able to feel the performance decrease, the “mpg” meter on your car will show much lower numbers.
On average, the fuel consumption of your car will increase by 0.2% for every PSI of pressure dropped. This means that if the pressure falls from 32 PSI to 20 PSI, you will experience around 1.5% worse fuel economy.
Finally, driving on low tire pressure can accelerate the tread wear of your tires. Accelerated wear can quickly render your tires useless, especially for driving on wet surfaces. Moreover, this means that you’ll replace the tires sooner, which might cost you in the long run.
Inflating the tires on your car is quick and straightforward. However, to do it properly, it’s best to prepare well.
First, make sure that your tires are cold when inflating and measuring the pressure. It would be best if you did it in the morning, or only after driving a few miles. Never measure the pressure after a long ride.
Then, prepare with some tools. To check the pressure on your tires, you’ll need a tire pressure gauge. Nowadays, gauges are very inexpensive, and they are also tiny so that you can keep it inside the area for the spare tire.
Then, you will also need an air pump to inflate the tire. Many types of air pumps exist, including hand-operated, foot-operated, and an automatic air pump.
The hand- and -foot-operated air pumps are less expensive, but they also require much more force and take more time.
Automatic air pumps usually connect to the 12V socket in your vehicle, which makes the whole job faster and much more convenient.
Now, let’s see what’s needed to inflate your tires properly.
Unscrew the plastic cap that sits over the valve stem. On steel rims with wheel covers, you might also need to remove the cover. Place the plastic cap in a safe place – you’ll need to screw it in place later.
Otherwise, dirt and debris might get into the valve stem, which can get in the way the next time you want to inflate or measure the pressure in your tires.
Place the end of the hose of the tire gauge on the valve stem.
Push as hard as needed, so there is no hissing noise. Then, check the reading – on analog gauges, the needle should jump immediately. On digital gauges, though, you might need to push a button to activate it.
Once you measured the pressure inside the tire, it’s best to compare it to the recommended pressure first. You can find the recommended tire pressure on a sticker on the sill of the driver’s or passenger’s door. If you can’t find it there, it’s best to refer to the owner’s manual.
Don’t inflate the tire if the tire pressure is equal to the recommended one.
Place the end of the hose on the valve stem and make sure that it clamps in place. If you hear a hissing sound, you won’t be able to inflate the tire. On some air pumps, you might need to hold the tip of the hose firmly pressed against the valve stem.
Then, start pumping for a while.
Check the tire pressure on every 15-30 seconds, as overinflated tires will also not perform well. And, even if you overinflate the tire, don’t worry. Press the core of the valve stem with a sharp object, and the tire will start deflating.
Once you reach the recommended pressure, place the plastic cap back over the valve stem.
You can also fix low tire pressure at the nearest gas station. The air pumps at gas stations will automatically reach the desired pressure. Just enter the recommended pressure on the apparatus, put the hose on the valve stem, and wait until you hear the sound signal.
When one of your tires is underinflated, the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) on your dashboard will illuminate. As soon as you inflate the tire, though, the light should go out. However, in many cases, the light might not go out immediately.
Here is what you need to do to rectify that.
Driving for around 5-10 miles at speeds of 40-50 mph should be enough for the TPMS light to go out. If it doesn’t go out, make sure to recheck the pressure.
If you are sure that the tires are correctly inflated, you can reset the TPMS light. Most vehicles have a reset button on the lower part of the steering wheel column. If you can’t find it there, consult your user’s manual.
Then, turn the key to the “ON” position, push the button, and hold it until the TPMS light blinks three times. It should stop shining after.
In this day and age, fixing a low tire pressure is very easy and straightforward. Every gas station has an air pump, and you can even purchase an automatic one on the cheap and keep it in the trunk. There is simply no justification in driving with low tire pressure, precisely because it hurts safety.
And, even if this article didn’t help you find a solution for your underinflated tires, feel free to put a question down below.
I’m sure we can find a solution to your issue. And, crucially, stay safe!
When the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light comes on on your car's dashboard, it usually means that the air pressure in one or more tires has dropped below the expected level. But, unfortunately, due to the peculiarities of the operation of this system, very often the low tire pressure icon lights up on the tidy by mistake. nine0005
First, if your car is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, it is important to remember that it does not relieve you of regularly checking tire pressure, as well as inspecting the condition of the tires. Although turning on the TPMS light can be a great puncture warning (a tire pressure monitoring system cannot replace physical inspection of the wheels for damage), and also free you from checking tire pressure with a pressure gauge.
If you have a car with TPMS, that means there is a wireless sensor in every tire. Each sensor transmits data to a computer, which in turn analyzes the data with reference values and, in the event of a data discrepancy for any wheel, turns on an icon on the tidy to warn the driver about low tire pressure. Moreover, the indicator can light up both with insufficient pressure in one or more wheels, and with its excessive value. nine0005
See also How to prolong the life of car tires: The most important tips
But why do we need this system, if quite often it misleads drivers? In fact, the appearance of a low tire pressure icon on the tidy is the best reason to stop the car, take the pump with a pressure gauge and check the tire pressure. The tire pressure monitoring system still most often transmits important information for the driver. In 75% of cases, the warning of the tire pressure monitoring system really indicates problems in the wheels.
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When the air is compressed due to cold weather or heats up, the tire pressure sensor is triggered. 
In most cases, your car's tires are filled with air that is identical to the air in the atmosphere. But sometimes tires are filled with nitrogen instead of air. However, the same rules of thermodynamics apply to nitrogen that apply to the mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, as well as other elements that make up the air we breathe and that we typically fill car tires with.
According to the laws of physics, if the temperature of a gas decreases, the pressure also decreases. Since the tires in a car are more and less a closed system, this essentially means that when the temperature of the air in the tire goes down, the air pressure in the tire goes down as well. nine0005
This is also true when the pressure rises due to an increase in temperature.
As the gas expands as it heats up, it has nowhere to go because it is in the confined space of the tire, and the pressure increases as a result.
See also What is the correct tire pressure for various off-road conditions
The exact increase or decrease in tire pressure depends on a number of factors. But on average, it is believed that when the ambient temperature drops by 10 degrees Celsius, the tire loses about 0.07 bar and, conversely, when the temperature rises by 10 degrees, the tire pressure increases by about 0.07 bar. nine0005
Tire pressure problems are most common in winter. And this is logical, since in winter there are sharp temperature drops. This is especially true for the northern regions of the country, where the winter is very cold.
For example, if you inflated your car tires in August according to the factory specification, when the ambient temperature was 26 degrees, then with the onset of cold weather in late autumn, when the temperature outside dropped to -17 degrees, the pressure in the tires of your car will fall by about 0.
34 bar. nine0005
By the way, due to sudden changes in temperature at night and during the day in winter, the tire pressure monitoring system can start acting up. For example, if you get into your car early on a frosty morning and notice that the TPMS light comes on, but then goes off after a few hours, this indicates that tire pressure is changing due to temperature changes. In this case, we would advise not to change the tire pressure, as this is fraught with the fact that during the daytime the tire pressure will be excessive, which will lead to premature wear of the rubber tread. nine0005
Tire pressure may also change while the vehicle is in motion. The fact is that the friction of the tires causes them to heat up, which in turn causes the air inside the tires to heat up. This is one of the reasons automakers recommend inflating tires when they are cold rather than hot after the car has been driven.
Thus, there is a real possibility that the tire pressure monitoring system will warn you of insufficient tire pressure early in the morning, but after a while the vehicle is moving, the indicator will turn off on the tidy.
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If you check your tire pressure in the morning before you set off, you realize that the pressure is not low, but the tire pressure indicator on the tidy is on or flashing , most likely, in one of the wheels there is a malfunction of the pressure sensor. This error is not very common. But still, sometimes it happens. By the way, some fluids and dirt from the brake pads can accelerate the process of wear of tire pressure sensors. nine0005
On the other hand, if the tire pressure monitoring system warns you of low pressure when the tires are cold, inflating them while they are cold will save you unnecessary TPMS warnings in cold winter weather.
By the way, this is why it is recommended to check and adjust tire pressure several times a year. Especially when the seasons change. For example, with the onset of the cold season, it is recommended to add tire pressure and, conversely, with the onset of spring, it is recommended to slightly reduce the pressure.
Taking into account changes in ambient temperature during the changing seasons in this way can save you problems with the tire pressure monitoring system indicator. nine0005
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When the tires are optimally inflated, the low tire pressure indicator (TPMS) does not light up on the vehicle's dashboard. However, in some cases, it lights up even if the pressure is normal. This can't help but be annoying, especially when the tires are inflated normally. In our article today, we will figure out how to reset a tire pressure error. nine0005
American and European scientists conducted a study, during which it was found that most drivers do not check whether the wheels are properly inflated before getting behind the wheel of a car.
Only 40% of car owners perform such a check - and even then only once every 12 months. This is the reason for a large number of accidents.
The TPMS (Tyre pressure monitoring system) system is designed to monitor tire pressure, as well as warn of a malfunction. If the tires are under-inflated or over-inflated, an error will be displayed on the remote control or an audible signal will appear. nine0005
What is dangerous too high or, conversely, low pressure? The risk of an accident increases, the car begins to consume more fuel, in addition, the rubber wears out faster.
Photo: Shutterstock
The above devices operate on the same principle. Let's figure out how information about what tire pressure gets to the control panel.
Consider how pressure is calculated by measuring instruments. Typically, the sensor performs a comparison of the angular rotation of the wheel. Knowing the value of this parameter, you can calculate the distance that the wheel will travel in one rotation. nine0005
Obviously, if the tires are under-inflated or over-inflated, then the outer diameter of the wheel will be different.
Visually, a person cannot determine this change. But the sensor notices even such changes. The system fixes non-compliance with the required parameters.
The sensor will still respond, despite the fact that the wheel circumference has changed quite a bit. In this situation, it is necessary to find out what mechanical reason led to this. Only in this way can you eliminate the misinterpretation of the signals transmitted by the system. This can happen because: nine0005
Also, the TPMS system gives an error when you install new wheels or rearrange them.
When, after these steps, a tire pressure error appeared, indicating unbalance, you should reset the settings, and then set the basic parameters. In this case, the control signal may remain even if the basic settings have been selected. nine0005
Why such problems may occur:
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How to reset tire pressure error? To begin with, imagine that the TPMS system is working properly and the blinking light indicates a problem with the undercarriage of the machine.
The first thing you should do is slowly release the gas. You can not brake sharply, turn the steering wheel. After the car has stopped, inspect the tires to make sure the rubber is not punctured or broken. Then you can check if the tire pressure is normal. nine0005
Pay attention! The TPMS will not always show a tire pressure error. For example, if the tires are slowly deflating, the system will not inform you about the problem. In the same way, she will not notice the error if the tire pressure starts to drop rapidly. This usually happens when a tire ruptures. This feature of the TPMS system is explained by the specifics of identifying and counting nonconformities.
However, in some cases, it happens that the TPMS system indicator is on, but the tires are in perfect condition. How to reset tire pressure error? We understand. nine0005
The complex TPMS system in some cases starts to work incorrectly.
Usually, car owners observe the following picture: a tire pressure error is displayed on the display (the tire is underinflated), but in reality everything is fine with the wheel. You have to reset the tire pressure error. Otherwise, the TPMS system starts to work incorrectly.
Photo: Shutterstock nine0005
You also have to reset the tire pressure error when there is radio interference from high voltage power lines. Or when sources of radio signals are located in the immediate vicinity. But as soon as you move away from them, the pressure error disappears and the system begins to function properly.
The reason for the malfunction may lie in the sensor, which is "failed". This damage cannot be easily repaired. How to reset a tire pressure error if the sensor flashes, while you hear a beep, lose your vigilance and find it difficult to drive a car? There are 4 ways to fix this problem. nine0005
To reset the error, pick up a speed of 80 km / h and continue driving for another 15 kilometers.
This method is the easiest to implement. If your car has this feature, then turn on the cruise control so that the speed does not change. Depending on the model of your car, you will be able to reset the tire pressure error at a speed that exceeds the specified one. After you cover a distance of 15-20 kilometers, maintaining the same speed of 80 km / h, make a stop. Turn off the motor. When you start it again, the tire pressure error will disappear. nine0005
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Press the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) reset button on your car and you will be able to reset the error.
It does not matter what type of low pressure warning system is used. In any case, there will be a sensor on each wheel of your car. Sometimes it may be necessary to reboot the touch system of the car. Read the owner's manual for the vehicle.
It contains information on how to reset a tire pressure error. Most often, the instructions indicate which button to press to reset. nine0005
The ignition key must be in the lock. No need to start the car, just turn it to the “on” (“ON”) position. Then press and hold the reset button, which may be under the steering wheel. We are waiting for the low pressure indicator to blink 3 times. After that, you can release the button. We start the car, it should work for 20 minutes. After this time, the computer will calibrate the sensors on the wheels. Now you can turn off the car.
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Lower and then re-inflate the wheels.
Failed to reset tire pressure error using the previous method? Then we inflate all tires to 0.2 bar, this is the pressure that should be according to the recommendations of car manufacturers.
Did the error go away? Then we lower the pressure in the tires completely.
Now we pump up the wheels again. The pressure in them should be the same as indicated on the driver's door pillar or in the car's operating instructions. When there are sensors on the wheels, you need to remember about the spare tire. Now you need to drive about 3-5 kilometers, adhering to a speed of 25 km per hour. So you can reset the tire pressure error. nine0005
Remove the battery terminals and then connect it to reset the error.
Each car has a computer that receives data from all kinds of vehicle sensors, including TPMS system sensors. However, any electronics can fail. To reset the error, you will have to reboot the system, for which you need to turn off the power.
Photo: Shutterstock
To do this, open the hood. The battery is located under the hood. Disconnect the negative terminal from it. To perform this operation, use a wrench. Then sit in the driver's seat, turn the key to the "ON" position, but do not start the car.
Now you need to press the signal for 3 seconds. This will use up the energy that remains in the electrical system of the machine. Then reconnect the battery. This way you can reset the error. nine0005
Sensors keep track of tire pressure. However, you need to be sure that they function properly. Of course, you do not need to constantly walk around with a special measuring device and find out the status of the sensors. It just needs to be calibrated from time to time.
It is performed quite simply. The most important thing to remember is that, depending on the make and model of your car, for each wheel there are pressure parameters strictly defined by the manufacturer for winter and summer. These values should be given to the sensors. How the installation and configuration will be performed depends on the controller used. nine0005
Nothing else needs to be configured. 
For current promotions on the Halva card, which will help you profitably purchase household appliances, you can follow here. nine0005
To prevent a tire pressure error from appearing, it is important to calibrate (adjust the TPMS system) every time a change is made. For example, when you installed a new set of wheels, repaired tires, did balancing, and the like. Using TPMS controllers is quite simple. The main thing is to read the instructions for use of the device. And make sure that the tire pressure is the one recommended by the car manufacturer.
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Every car owner gets annoyed if the tire pressure error icon lights up on the dashboard. This indicator informs you that something is wrong with the wheels.
