WHAT DOES THE TPMS DO?

You’ve probably seen or heard about the TPMS light before, but do you understand what it means, what it does, and what to do when the warning light comes on? Read on to learn more.

To start off, the TPMS light symbol is pretty recognizable – it is an exclamation mark inside of a circular figure that resembles a wheel. In some cases, it may just show up as the letters T-P-M-S. These letters stand for Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

This system is an advanced system comprising sensors in the cambers of each tire. They read your tire pressure and warn you when the tire pressure gets out of range. Usually, the light will come on your dashboard when it is underinflated at 25% below the manufacturer’s recommended PSI, or pounds per square inch.

The majority of vehicles on the road have this system because your vehicle can be in serious trouble when it runs on underinflated tires. To be specific, underinflated tires can:

  • Accelerate tire wear
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Present higher risks of tire damage and blowouts
  • Lead to poor traction and handling
In other words, you should take this light seriously when it comes on. If you notice the TPMS light on your dash, it means that your sensors have detected underinflation. Therefore, you should manually check your tires for damage, measure their pressure, and top them off with air. The light should automatically go away once the sensor reads the tire at its normal range. If the TPMS remains on your dash, you may have a greater issue at hand.

In rare cases, it may suggest you have tire damage. And in another case, it may be an error with the TPMS system itself. If any of the TPMS sensors fail, it can send false error messages to your car’s computer. To be on the safe side, we recommend leaving the diagnostics to professional technicians.

If you are looking for TPMS service and repairs, look no further than Bay Area Tire & Service Centers. Feel free to give our team a call or visit soon.

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