Tire pressure warning
The tire pressure warning system started appearing on vehicles in early 2004. At first, the system was a nifty little gimmick to help sell cars. It gave the salesman of the first vehicles to deploy a tire pressure monitoring system an edge over the competition. The federal government decided that the system worked so well that it would make it mandatory on all vehicles manufactured for the 2007 model year.
But anyone who has this system on their vehicle and has experienced a tire pressure warning light will tell you it is not always a simple matter. Fixing the problem and resetting the warning light on some models is extremely complicated. Also some cars require special tools to diagnose and repair malfunctions. Hopefully this tire inflation monitor will become more users friendly, So that the vehicle owner will be able to handle the reset of the warning light or make it reset automatically on all cars and light trucks. Right now there is no standard and each vehicle manufacturers deploys its own uniquely designed monitor. This is making it complicated for vehicle owners, car mechanics and tire shops to handle the increasing number of problems associated with the tire pressure monitoring system.
Tire pressure warning problemsNow that this low tire warning alert has been on the market for a while, Vehicle owners are starting to replace their worn-out tires.
Mounted inside of their tires is a small radio transmitter. In most cases this is attached to the valve stem but there other kinds as well. This small sensor contains a long life lithium ion battery and sends data to a separate tire pressure monitoring system computer. They say these batteries can last for up to ten years if not damaged. Mounting tires at your local tire repair shop used to be a simple rip and tear operation. Using hydraulic or air operated tire changing equipment.
The tire repair shop, the mechanic and the driver of the vehicle will not know that there is a problem until the vehicle starts to drive down the road and the tire pressure warning light comes on. If this happens to you go directly back to the shop and have them address the problem. If you wait a few days and then go back the shop can deny any responsibility for causing the tire warning light to come on.
Tire pressure light repairThese valve stem mounted pressure sensors have a permanently installed lithium ion long life battery inside of them. This makes the thing, expensive.The last time I checked on the price it was around $90 per sensor. If you're tire repair center breaks all four they should be on the hook for about $400 worth of pressure sensor monitoring parts.
It is the shop's responsibility to recognize that the vehicle they are replacing tires on is equipped with this system. The auto repair mechanic or tire man must take special care and avoid breaking or damaging any parts on this delicate sensitive technology. Also note that if you get a nail in your tire and the warning light is illuminated on your dash to notify you of low tire pressure after the tire is repaired and refilled further action may be required. Some systems will automatically reset after identifying the proper pressure in the tire. Other systems will require a procedure to be followed to reset the light. Your owner's manual should describe the procedure and is a good source of information on what type of inflation monitoring system you have on your vehicle.
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