Why You Need to Know This Dashboard Symbol

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

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Did you know that since model year 2008, all cars have been required to have a light on the dash that tells you if your tires are under-inflated? According to Schrader, a company that makes sensors and valves, nearly half of consumers are in the dark about this little light.

It was news to me, too, thanks to my belief in buying used cars to save BIG —and then keeping them as long as possible to save even more. I don’t have one of these on my dash, but I wish I did.

The dashboard symbol looks like a cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point inside.

And here’s why you should care:

1) Blowouts.

Worst case scenario, under-inflated tires can cause blowouts because the sidewalls sag onto the roadway and get beat up.

2) Fuel Economy.

Soft tires wallow around on the road, causing too much contact and friction and using up gas.

3) Poor handling.

When your tires are under-inflated, they give your vehicle a sloshy, wallowing ride that’s not only unpleasant but unsafe.

4) Slower braking.

Under-inflation can also hurt braking distance, so that it takes longer before your vehicle comes to a stop.

Why You Need to Know This Dashboard Symbol
 
TCS has that in his Jeep Commander. The dash has a an icon with all five tires showing so he knows the inflation poundage of each tire, including the spare.

My Jeep Cherokee is a 2000 model, so I don't have that feature.
 
I have it on my 2009 Sentra. My tires don't use regular air so I have to take it to the dealership (not far) when the light comes on. Mine usually only comes on when the temps drop in winter.


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LoveBlue said:
I have it on my 2009 Sentra. My tires don't use regular air so I have to take it to the dealership (not far) when the light comes on. Mine usually only comes on when the temps drop in winter.

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Click to expand...
Do you mean nitrogen in your tires?

What would you do if you needed inflation if you're not near the dealer?
 
Few years back, luxurious vehicles have those.... then probably won't be long almost all vehicles will come with the feature.
 
Reba said:
Do you mean nitrogen in your tires?



What would you do if you needed inflation if you're not near the dealer?
Click to expand...


Call AAA?
I have no idea. I may have searched for places but don't remember what I found out.
What makes me mad is that I didn't think to ask for tires that take regular air when I got the front tires replaced last year.


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Calvin said:
Few years back, luxurious vehicles have those.... then probably won't be long almost all vehicles will come with the feature.
Click to expand...


My Nissan Sentra & my daughter's Kia Rio are not luxury cars, both 2009's, and they both have it.


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that's one feature I REALLY could use! I tend to forget to check the air pressure and some gauges are hard to read correctly.
 
DeafDucky said:
that's one feature I REALLY could use! I tend to forget to check the air pressure and some gauges are hard to read correctly.
Click to expand...

Also most air tire gauge got worn out due heavy use or age and give the not correct info. Better get the digital tire gauge.
 
We thank to the TPMS inventor for safety and generating more automotive industrials such as auto repair shops, TPMS makers, tires and other things. We know that TPMS devices are as tire indicators..... One thing is what I see is customers are not happy with dealerships or auto repair shops even tire shops that they charge them for scanning and clearing the TPMS lights in the dash after refill air in the tires. Even bad tire pressure sensor(s) or TPMS modules causes TPMS light on with all good tire pressures. Big money on the repairs. Sometime mechanics/technicians dislike TPMS because you have to reset TPMS after rotated tires, inflated tires or new tires. Very labor time consumer due to TPMS complication.
 
Tire sensors are great to let you know if your tires are low, but they should tell you which tire is low and you should not have to go someplace to have the sensor cleared or reset. Another problem that isn't being addressed is car manufacturers putting defective rims on cars that crack at the welds causing the tires to continuously leak air, we have a Mercury Gran Marquis that so far has had three of the five rims crack under normal driving conditions and if you go online there are many many more with the same problem, yet Ford and the US Govt. sees no safety issue in this problem. Never mind the fact that if the two halves of the rim come apart you would lose all control of the vehicle. All Ford wants to do is sell me another defective rim.
 
seb said:
Tire sensors are great to let you know if your tires are low, but they should tell you which tire is low and you should not have to go someplace to have the sensor cleared or reset….
Click to expand...
Some do tell you which tire (Hubby's Jeep does), it gives the exact pressure number that each tire is, and it does not require going someplace for resetting. He fills whatever tire needs air, and then the sensor resets itself.
 
deafsmogtech said:
We thank to the TPMS inventor for safety and generating more automotive industrials such as auto repair shops, TPMS makers, tires and other things. We know that TPMS devices are as tire indicators..... One thing is what I see is customers are not happy with dealerships or auto repair shops even tire shops that they charge them for scanning and clearing the TPMS lights in the dash after refill air in the tires. Even bad tire pressure sensor(s) or TPMS modules causes TPMS light on with all good tire pressures. Big money on the repairs. Sometime mechanics/technicians dislike TPMS because you have to reset TPMS after rotated tires, inflated tires or new tires. Very labor time consumer due to TPMS complication.
Click to expand...

Not all cars need to reset TPMS after rotated tires. Just GM and Chrysler which needs to reset that I worked so far. Mazda, Subaru,VW,MBZ and Honda doesnt needs to reset TPMS after rotated tires because it just simple low tire light, no PSI info.

Inflated tires? In fact, TPMS save my times. Just drive cars to shop then use dashboard to check PSI info if they are are in the spec then it's good and don't need to check all tires with gauge. Save your times. If it don't have PSI info OR Non-TPMS then I have to check all tires with gauge which waste of my times.

TPMS repair STILL CHEAP than tire blew up, car accident,accident injury, poor fuel economy, insurance, etc.

Only customers who not happy with TPMS then CLEAR they don't know nothing about safety and better fuel economy. Happen to my old job at GM/Chrysler dealership a LOT! So just simple to explain them TPMS light mean it needs to inflate tires up then light will gone. Most of them don't know that and don't bother to read owner manual services. Sad?
 
Reba said:
Some do tell you which tire (Hubby's Jeep does), it gives the exact pressure number that each tire is, and it does not require going someplace for resetting. He fills whatever tire needs air, and then the sensor resets itself.
Click to expand...

That's correct. Simple like coolant or fuel said low then just refill them up then dashboard's warn lights gone.
 
Reba said:
Some do tell you which tire (Hubby's Jeep does), it gives the exact pressure number that each tire is, and it does not require going someplace for resetting. He fills whatever tire needs air, and then the sensor resets itself.
Click to expand...

I've seen them before. I like it, easy for driver to check the feature of fluid levels and tire air pressure on the dash when the warning light(s) come on. GM vehicles have the display of the tire air pressure on 4 corners. Cool. However the tire air pressure on the display, shown PSI that are not exact match to the actual tire air pressure (outside), about 2 psi different. If you see 37psi on LF tire on the display, you measure the same LF tire with tire pressure gauge, the reading is 35psi. Sound ok to me. I am not much to TPMS works, still learn.
 
The Highlander said:
Not all cars need to reset TPMS after rotated tires. Just GM and Chrysler which needs to reset that I worked so far. Mazda, Subaru,VW,MBZ and Honda doesnt needs to reset TPMS after rotated tires because it just simple low tire light, no PSI info.

Inflated tires? In fact, TPMS save my times. Just drive cars to shop then use dashboard to check PSI info if they are are in the spec then it's good and don't need to check all tires with gauge. Save your times. If it don't have PSI info OR Non-TPMS then I have to check all tires with gauge which waste of my times.

TPMS repair STILL CHEAP than tire blew up, car accident,accident injury, poor fuel economy, insurance, etc.

Only customers who not happy with TPMS then CLEAR they don't know nothing about safety and better fuel economy. Happen to my old job at GM/Chrysler dealership a LOT! So just simple to explain them TPMS light mean it needs to inflate tires up then light will gone. Most of them don't know that and don't bother to read owner manual services. Sad?
Click to expand...

Agree with you. Each tire pressure sensor inside the wheel, have built-in life battery, temperature and ID registered.... This ID registered is where the Tire pressure module can see the frequent signals, then computer can ID the tires on 4 corners or spare tire. What if you rotate the tires? Corrupted TPMS computer and set TPMS warning light on. Many vehicles (early model year) have no trouble with TPMS lights after tire rotated.
Most time the flat tire get air pressure proper, it will turn TPMS light off after driving few miles.
Toyota/Lexus vehicles make me miserable, you have to check a spare tire in the trunk or under the vehicle because the TPMS computer will see 5 tires. What if you open a trunk lid and see full of hoarded stuffs inside, will you bail the stuffs out to access the spare tire? Me? No way, not worth to check it unless customer request for check spare tire air pressure. Many times I see TPMS lights on as the vehicles brought in for oil services. Ignore them but I put air in the tires then TPMS lights gone or stead on because customers are aware of TPMS situations before.
 
Hey The Highlander, If you put air in the tires by following the label on the door jamb or inside the gas lid or glove box, then the TPMS light still on, what do you do? Read the last paragraph of the TPMS in the owner manual, always say, bring your car to dealership. You happy? I don't think so.
 
deafsmogtech said:
Agree with you. Each tire pressure sensor inside the wheel, have built-in life battery, temperature and ID registered.... This ID registered is where the Tire pressure module can see the frequent signals, then computer can ID the tires on 4 corners or spare tire. What if you rotate the tires? Corrupted TPMS computer and set TPMS warning light on. Many vehicles (early model year) have no trouble with TPMS lights after tire rotated.
Most time the flat tire get air pressure proper, it will turn TPMS light off after driving few miles.
Toyota/Lexus vehicles make me miserable, you have to check a spare tire in the trunk or under the vehicle because the TPMS computer will see 5 tires. What if you open a trunk lid and see full of hoarded stuffs inside, will you bail the stuffs out to access the spare tire? Me? No way, not worth to check it unless customer request for check spare tire air pressure. Many times I see TPMS lights on as the vehicles brought in for oil services. Ignore them but I put air in the tires then TPMS lights gone or stead on because customers are aware of TPMS situations before.
Click to expand...

Corrupted TPMS computer? Are you sure? Because I did tire rotated on VW Rabbit 2008 and Mazda CX-5 2013 and no problem so far and don't needs to reset TPMS. TPMS in the spare tires? That's STUPID IDEA. I am happy that VW and Mazda don't have TPMS in the spare tires. The spare tire is for temporary only. Why bother to added TPM in the temporary spare tire? Stupid engineering design. Also, I did tire rotated for TONS GM vehicles (2006-2013) without reset and no problem but I still do reset TMPS to match location *LF, RF, LR, RR* to match TPMS for dashboard PSI info.

Like that.

tirepressure.gif
 
I have a symbol for everything in this car... Darn new cars... Honestly, I'd just be happy if people would use the turn signals they already have!!! :mad2:
 
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