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Tire pressure warning light is going off but the tires look fine

Today I noticed the warning light for tire pressure was on. I drove back home and immediately checked the pressure in all 4 tires, and they all read the same

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Old 01-06-2010, 04:59 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Exclamation Tire pressure warning light is going off but the tires look fine

Today I noticed the warning light for tire pressure was on. I drove back home and immediately checked the pressure in all 4 tires, and they all read the same (edit** about 30). The tires are filled with nitrogen. I'm from Florida and it's about 50 degrees here. Could the temperature have anything to do with it? Has anyone had anything similiar happen? Or maybe its a malfunction. I tried to check for any punctures (nails, etc) but couldn't find anything.

EDIT**: The cars been acting kinda funny today:

1. Today while driving it, it seemed to drive slightly different. Nothing bad, but I've had it for a year and could tell that something was different. I'm assuming the cold weather, possibly. At times it would be sluggish when I accelerated quickly, the power was still there and it actually seemed a bit more powerful.

2. I put it in the manual mode, and while changing gears the indicator on the dash that displays the gears would be very slow in changing numbers, and it would flicker. The actual gear change wasn't slow.

3. I am getting the slip indicator light a lot whenever I stepped on the gas. VDC is on. The car is just acting weird today overall.

Last edited by dandg; 01-06-2010 at 07:09 PM.
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Old 01-06-2010, 05:08 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by dandg View Post
Today I noticed the warning light for tire pressure was on. I drove back home and immediately checked the pressure in all 4 tires, and they all read the same (slightly below 25).
Typo? The tire pressures should be 35 all around. This would obviously explain the TPMS light coming on.
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Old 01-06-2010, 05:27 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by dandg View Post
How could all 4 times be losing pressure like that simultaneously?
It's due to the lower outside temperature, every 10 degree drop in temp results in about 1 PSI drop in tire pressure.

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Originally Posted by dandg View Post
I also forget to mention that today I noticed I was getting the slip indicator light a lot whenever I stepped on the gas. VDC is on. The car is just acting funny today overall.
Cold outside =Colder tires = less grip
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Old 01-06-2010, 05:28 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Tires will lose pressure over time. I check mine about every month and add air when needed. How often do you add air/nitrogen to yours?

Oh and stiff sidewalls can make it hard/impossible to tell if a tire is low on pressure just by looking at it. Invest in a good tire gauge.
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Old 01-06-2010, 05:29 PM   #5 (permalink)
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You might be right, I think I remember them being 35 but I'm not completely sure. How could all 4 times be losing pressure like that simultaneously?

Maybe my cheap tire pressure instrument is wrong, I'm gonna head to a gas station and check.

The tires don't look low. If it turns out they are all around 25 is it okay if I put regular air in there with the nitrogen?



I updated my first post about the car acting up today too.
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Old 01-06-2010, 05:37 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JB1 View Post
It's due to the lower outside temperature, every 10 degree drop in temp results in about 1 PSI drop in tire pressure.



Cold outside =Colder tires = less grip
Will it go back up as the temperature goes up?
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Old 01-06-2010, 05:53 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Will it go back up as the temperature goes up?
It should, but I wouldn't wait for it, just adjust it now and re-adjust when the temperature goes up again (if needed)
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Old 01-06-2010, 06:31 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by JB1 View Post
It should, but I wouldn't wait for it, just adjust it now and re-adjust when the temperature goes up again (if needed)
Is it okay to put regular air in tires filled with nitrogen?

I know the regular air is composed of 78% nitrogen. But I'm not sure the effect it will had. I really wish my tires didn't have nitrogen, but it came with the car..
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Old 01-06-2010, 06:44 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Is it okay to put regular air in tires filled with nitrogen?...
Yes, although it's better to keep using pure nitrogen if you can (it's less susceptible to pressure changes caused by temperature changes, and your tires will remain at the recommended tire pressure longer than they would with "normal" air).

Last edited by VCuomo; 01-06-2010 at 06:49 PM.
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Old 01-06-2010, 06:52 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Just start filling with air and scratch the nitrogen. Such a gimmick. I'm sure someone will argue that though. I have yet to find someone who can convince me that 78 vs 100% nitrogen in my fill makes any difference. I'd be more annoyed at worrying about adjusting tire pressures if I have a nitrogen fill since I'd have to find a place to fill them. Not to mention that nitrogen is super cheap but car places charge you $80 for the fills.
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Old 01-06-2010, 07:13 PM   #11 (permalink)
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I made a mistake ...the instrument was reading 30 for all tire pressure on the 4 tires. Should the warning light even be on?

I agree with the nitrogen gimmick, I'd rather not have it, it's really a pain. But that's good to know about mixing regular air with it, I didn't want to cause an explosion that stops time and create a black hole or something
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Old 01-06-2010, 07:57 PM   #12 (permalink)
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30 after you were driving, or dead cold?

I think they trigger at 27lbs or so.. and won't go off until it gets to some higher number (so it's not going on and off). So if it's cold out, and after you warmed them it was 30, I'm sure you were below the threashold..

Try adding 5 lbs to each with a real gauge of some type and get them even, see if the light goes off.
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Old 01-06-2010, 08:04 PM   #13 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by dandg View Post
Is it okay to put regular air in tires filled with nitrogen?

I know the regular air is composed of 78% nitrogen. But I'm not sure the effect it will had. I really wish my tires didn't have nitrogen, but it came with the car..


However you should go to the dealer and get it service. You already paid for it!
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Old 01-06-2010, 08:11 PM   #14 (permalink)
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Gas station gauges can't be trusted! I got one of these for Christmas, excellent, I love it!
Amazon.com: Accutire MS-5510B Racing Tire Gauge: Automotive
nice, especially with the locking valve option. is yours like that or do you have to hold in on? i never get a good seal like that.
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Old 01-06-2010, 08:13 PM   #15 (permalink)
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I had the same problem last week. Normaly the car lives in the garage, but we were on a road trip to Monterey Ca. It was a cold night. The warning light went out after about 20 minutes of driving.
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