Why is my Tire Pressure Monitoring System light on when it's cold?

Why is my Tire Pressure Monitoring System light on when it's cold?

As the weather gets colder, and you have a TPMS in your car, you probably faced you've probably faced the dreaded "low tire pressure" warning light. Why does this happen?

This is due to cold air. 

This cold air can lead your tires to deflate a little which might cause your TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) light to turn on, either you park your car outside bearing the cold snow or safely inside a garage. 

Cold shrinks, warm expands…

"For every 10-degree drop in temperature, tire pressure decreases 1-2 PSI," - Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. PSI stands for pounds per inch and is a common unit for measuring pressure.

Cold shrinks - warm expands, basically. It's typical at this time of year to have your tires checked. What's shrinking is the volume of the air. Thus, less air equals less well-filled tires.

Other reasons why your Tire Pressure Light Might Be On

• Holes in your tire - if you think you have a hole in your tire, carefully inspect your tires tread and sidewall. If you can't find a hole but you suspect that is the cause of the low tire pressure, contact a mobile mechanic as soon as possible.
• Tire needs air – Always check your tire pressure and add air when necessary. Having an under-inflated tire is dangerous and could lead to accident. Always check your tire pressure as often as you have your oil changed.
• Tire Pressure Sensor Problem – This isn’t common but this could be possible. You tires might not have low air pressure, there just might be something wrong with the sensor that causes it to turn on. If this is the case, you want to get your car looked at by a professional to determine the underlying issue so that you will get more accurate alerts in the future.

  Should I ignore the low tire pressure light?

  No. Just because this is a common situation during cold weather, it doesn’t mean you can ignore this. Perhaps, this is the best time to do a “quick tire pressure check” If ever your tire has hole, then you add air and if problem still persist, you can go to a mechanic shop to check for recalibration. 

  How to prevent the light’s appearance in the first place?

  If you want to prevent the light’s appearance before the cold weather, here are some couple tips for you.

  1. Nitrogen – You can inflate your car with Nitrogen instead of regular air. Nitrogen is a less volatile gas when it comes to ambient temperature fluctuations. Once filled with pure nitrogen, tires are far less likely to go up or down much in pressure
  2. Over-Inflate Your Car - You can over-inflate your tires by 2 or 3 PSI, for instance to 35 PSI, instead of the recommended 32 PSI. "The downside to over inflation like this is that your tires will wear a little faster - and your car will rid a little rougher.

   

  Whatever you do to prevent this, it is best to consult a professional.

   

  If you have any questions, feel free to contact our team – we’re a staff of enthusiasts that would be more than happy to help answer any questions you might have.