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Admit it, we often ignore symbols that lite up on our vehicle’s dashboard.  Either you don’t know what they meant or are afraid to find out.  There was no other symbol more ignored as much as the low tire pressure light.  Do you ignore this symbol when it pops up on your dashboard?  Let’s find out why you shouldn’t!

First, a quick history lesson…….  Don’t fall asleep on me.

By law, all passenger cars from 2007 and newer are required to have TPMS or tire pressure monitoring systems.  Each tire has a sensor that measures the tire pressure.  When the tire pressure drops to unsafe ranges, it illuminates this warning light on your dashboard.

This was a partial response by Congress to the Ford Explorer/Firestone Tire rollover accidents in the 90s.  Firestone claims Ford kept the tire pressures on the Explorer artificially low in order to better stabilize the top-heavy SUV.  The low tire pressures made the tires more likely to delaminate and blow out.  Congress decided low tire pressures were in fact an issue in the accidents and passed a law that car manufacturers have to warn drivers when their tires were becoming dangerously low.

Low tire pressure:

–Wastes fuel! Losing money!

–Increases braking distance. Unsafe!

–Lowers your vehicle’s stability. Unsafe!

–Causes uneven wear on your tires, forcing you to replace them sooner.  Losing money!

–Can cause hydroplaning or slipping on the wet roads. Unsafe!

–Makes your vehicle more prone to a flat or a tire blow out. Unsafe and losing money!

 So, if this light illuminates on your dashboard, please do not ignore it!  It means the tire pressure in one or more tires is low and needs to be inflated to the pressure recommended.

To be safe, save gas and your tires, do not ignore your tire pressure dashboard light.  Stop by Finish Line and we will make sure all of your pressures are correct. Having your vehicle maintained regularly at Finish line will help insure your critical vehicle systems are in good working order !