Air expands when heated and contracts when cooled. For most of North America, fall and early winter are especially important times to check your tire pressure — as the ambient temperature falls, tire pressure goes down.
Check your tires using a quality tire pressure gauge at least once a month when the tire is cold (the vehicle has sat for at least 3 hours). The Tire Information Label located on the inside of your vehicle’s doorframe has the recommended cold tire pressure for your vehicle. Learn more about tire load information here. To make sure you’re covered, every check of your tires should include a check of your spare (if equipped), as well.
WHAT IS A TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM?
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System is designed to warn the driver when low-tire-pressure conditions exist. A sensor located in each wheel measures tire pressure and temperature, then transmits data to the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. If the pressure in one or more of your tires is 25 percent or more below the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure for tires, a warning indication on the instrument panel will alert the driver.
Original Equipment tire pressure sensor batteries can last up to 10 years with normal use. When the battery fails, you will receive a tire pressure warning light and the sensor will need to be replaced.
How do you know that air pressure is low or whether the TPMS has malfunctioned?
If the Tire Pressure Monitor light comes on and stays solid with a “Check Tire Pressure”, “Low Tire Pressure”, or “Add Air To Tire” message on your Driver Information Centre, then check and adjust all tire air pressures to the recommended levels. Next, drive the vehicle to turn the light off.
If the Tire Pressure Monitor light appears as a blinking yellow light for more than one minute and stays solid, then diagnostic service is needed. If your Tire Pressure Monitoring System is not functioning properly, it cannot detect or signal a low-tire pressure condition.