Why is My Tire Pressure Light On?

According to service manager Darrell Gear, one of the most commonly asked questions in the service department at Jay Wolfe Toyota is, “Why is my tire light on?” One of the main reasons it’s so common? There are a bunch of reasons for the tire pressure light to come on. And obviously, it could affect any one of your four tires. There could be a leak or a puncture, a weather change could cause a pressure drop, or it could be a sensor reading improperly.
So then, what do you do when you see your tire pressure light on? Here are a few tips from Darrell.

Identify the Tire Pressure Light

Before anything, you need to familiarize yourself with the tire pressure light. It looks like a cutaway section of a tire with an exclamation point n the middle, and it’s amber or yellow in color. You’ll see it one of three ways.
• It comes on every time you start your engine as part of the dashboard bulb check sequence, then it goes out a couple seconds later.
• The tire pressure light illuminates solid while you’re driving and stays on. This indicates a tire pressure problem.
• The tire pressure warning light flashes off and on rhythmically. It’s an indicator that the TPMS system isn’t operating as it should, like one or more tire pressure sensors aren’t reading.

What Do You Do When You See the Tire Pressure Light?

If the tire pressure light comes on when you’re driving, Darrell recommends playing it safe. He says, “Pull over to a safe location, get out of your vehicle, and do a visual inspection of your tires.” The warning light can come on when one or more tire pressures are low, even by just a few PSI.
If you look at your tires and notice one is flat or nearly flat, put the spare tire on before you continue driving. Whether it’s a compact spare tire or a full-size wheel, bring your flat tire to Jay Wolfe Toyota and have it repaired or replaced immediately. You don’t want to get caught on the road without a functional spare tire!
And if you walk around your Toyota and the tires look fine, you still want to get it checked out. There may be a slow leak or your tires may be just a little low. It’s safe to drive your vehicle in for an inspection as soon as you can.