Tire pressure

[thekmanrocks]

N8N wrote: "It has but I would not rely on it unless you have an actual pressure readout in real PSI. a "Low Tire" warning just means that the tire has 75% of the door sticker pressure, I'd prefer to know before that point. "

Lucky you! The TPMS on my car were calibrated to

-5psi below the maximum pressure on my TIRES(41psi).

My door sticker says 30psi all four, so even if I keep them at 32psi, my tires are still 'underinflated' according to some guv'mint gadget installed in them! So I just drive around and ignore the light.

[Pat]

Mine have a calibrate button (in the car) that you press when the tires are inflated to my desired pressure. You act like your 41psi calibration is set in stone. Are you sure?

[dpb]

On 01/09/2015 9:35 AM, Pat wrote: ...

I'd venture that's true in all systems that aren't actual pressure...certainly was in all the vehicles I've had before the switch to actual tire pressures (which I've found to be quite accurate and reliable on all my GM vehicles).

The setting procedure was quite varied between different models and years and manufacturers and some were extremely convoluted, but that's the way they all worked.

[clare]

That depends on the car and the setup. Some notify when down as little as 2.5 PSI for sure - possibly some less.

[thekmanrocks]

Pat:

It's what the dealer told me. Like I said, I 'monitor' my own tires. Besides, how much gas does a tpms save when it allows tires to get 25% below recommended pressure?

If something's important, such as keeping up your tire pressure during fall to winter, you make the time for it, and get a decent gauge.

[Vic Smith]

A good gauge can be had for a buck or two. I've been using a dial gauge for the past 7-8 years. Think I paid 2-3 bucks. It's all mostly plastic, but it reads the same pressure as my stick gauges. It's easier to read than the sticks

[thekmanrocks]

Vic Smith: +1

Metal(brass?) Sears dial gauge here with deflator button.

[dpb]

I'd guess at least a decent chance that the dealer wasn't correct--that just wouldn't be a useful indication if that were it.

What was the vehicle/mode/year just to see if could "look it up" in an onwers manual to see what it says about setting/resetting the readout.

[thekmanrocks]

dpb: 2008 Kia. Very likely batteries have died on these TPMS modules by now.

[dpb]

Doesn't matter regarding how the system actually worked...

[Pat]

You can do better than the 25% but it takes work. Pump the tires up to a value that is higher than your desired pressure and then press the recalibrate button. Then reduce the pressure to your desired pressure. In your case, you said that a setting of 41 causes the warning at 32 - roughly 25% low. Just recalibrate the system at 38 or

39 in order to get a warning at

[thekmanrocks]

Pat:

On the Kias at least the tpms needs to be dealer reset. And since I've had a dashlight since 2012, I suspect one of the units might be damaged or mala djusted. If I inflate my tires to at least 35psi, the light goes out. So it may not be a battery in one of the modules.

[rbowman]

Motorcycle Consumer News, an ad free magazine, did a test of tire gauges a couple of years ago. There were several fancy ones but the $3 Slime pencil type did as well as any.

[thekmanrocks]

I actually adjust my pressure down to 1/10th PSI. Yeah, it matters that much. ;)

[Ed Pawlowski]

I adjust to 1/100 PSI and stop every ten miles to adjust. In really cold weather I can go 15 miles before they get too high.

[thekmanrocks]

Ed Pawlowski wrote: "I adjust to 1/100 PSI and stop every ten miles to adjust. In really cold weather I can go 15 miles before they get too high. "

Sarcasm unnecessary. If I notice a difference, then it has worked for me.

[rbowman]

Placebos work just fine...

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes, but the prescription ones work better than the OTC

[thekmanrocks]

rbowman, Ed Pawlowski:

I check my tires on a time basis and in a manner that satisfies ME. Some drivers never check them.

I'm proud not to be in the latter category. Think about how you would feel if someone else made the same comments about you that you did about me. Treat others the way you would like to be.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Wow, you were serious about 1/10 of a pound???? I know some serious car guys but never heard of anyone be that anal.