My TPMS Light Was Trying to Tell Me Something

After years of writing about TPMS-related content, it finally happened to me: my TPMS light came on… but not for the reason I originally thought. After first seeing the light, I got home, filled my tires up with a portable tire inflator (if you haven’t invested in one, do it), and went about my day. 

I thought I fixed the issue. However, when I came out the next morning, one of my tires was completely flat… luckily, I got it checked out, found out a nail punctured it, and got it taken care of.

In my case, that warning light was the first sign that something was wrong. And that’s a good reminder for customers and technicians alike – a TPMS light can be more than a cue to add air.

If one tire is significantly lower than the others, there is usually a reason for the pressure loss. A puncture is one possibility, but technicians should also inspect the valve stem, sensor and the tire itself for damage or leaks.

Simply inflating the tire may turn the light off, but it does not fix the source of the air loss. If the tire has a nail, screw or another puncture, the pressure can drop again after the customer leaves the shop.

That makes the initial inspection important. Check all four tires, confirm the pressure against the vehicle placard and look for obvious damage. If one tire stands out, find out why before calling the job finished.

And tell the same to your customers. If they’re filling up the same tire more than once in a week, there’s likely an underlying issue causing that air loss beyond something like weather or a temperature change. If that happens, it’s time for a visit to their local shop.