'Tis the Season for TPMS

I am seeing a lot of web searches coming in for "dashboard Exclamation point", so I decided to re-post this classic article that i wrote a few years ago on TPMS.

So now that it is starting to get cold here in the Northeast, a lot of motorists are now noticing a new symbol which may have appeared in their dash over the holiday weekend. It looks a little something like this...

[caption id="attachment_17" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="courtesy Safecar.gov"][/caption]

That huge exclamation point makes you feel like your engine is about to explode if you don't go to a shop right now, but relax, this is just your cars Tire Pressure Monitoring System, (or TPMS) kicking in. When is gets colder, air contracts and reduces tire pressure slightly. Usually not enough to be dangerous, but certainly enough to trip the sensor.

How do you fix this problem? Go check your tires recommended PSI, (usually inside driver-side door) fill it up, and wait for the sensor to eventually turn itself off (This could be when you restart your car, or could take a week).