Low tire pressure

[toycar]

I have a 2010 1.8L auto. I only use the car on weekends, and not every weekend at that. I took delivery this past August on a clunker deal.This past Saturday on the way home from an errand, one of the panel lights lit up. My first thought was CEL, but then I looked closer and it was some sort of icon I didn't recognize. Then it hit me that it was a tire...low pressure warning. I didn't even know the Vibe had that option.Anyway, I got back to my house and measured the tire pressure and sure enough.....around 20 PSI at all 4 corners. Damn....that must be why the MPS is only around 30ish!So, I fired up the compressor and topped them off to 32 PSI all around.Question....I am assuming that the warning light comes on at around 20PSI...is there a way to adjust that to say 25 or so?

[lovemyraffe]

I don't think there is a way to adjust the settings on the TPMS.

[vibolista]

Don't rely on TPMS for tire pressure. Check your tire pressure at least once a month and take a look at your tires once in a while to make sure they are not getting soft. Soft tires are sluggish performers and waste your expensive fuel. Try 35 psi to see if it's not too harsh a ride. Might be ok and get even better mpg. Experiment. Just don't go over the max recommended pressure marked on your tire's sidewall.

[star_deceiver]

I run mine at 38 psi and check the pressure every time I fill the tank. The ride isn't overly bumpy.

[vibolista]

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »I run mine at 38 psi and check the pressure every time I fill the tank. The ride isn't overly bumpy.Excellent!

[Gandalf]

If that 'low tire pressure' warning light keeps coming on, like mine did: DON'T take it to the dealership.That's how my 2005 Vibe got all screwed up.GM uses 'refurbished' parts. When they were trying to fix the tire light, some brain dead idiot fried the outside temperature gauge.They put in 4 different 'refurbished' instrument panels, and all they managed to do was totally EFF UP my radio, on top of everything else they damaged.I finally just put piece of black electrical tape over that warning light, because it comes on almost every time I drive more than 25 miles on the freeway, non stop.I have a compressor in my garage. I check the tires at least every other fuel-up. The tires only change in the spring and fall, when the temp changes.But my advice on the tire pressure warning light: DON'T make the same mistake I did, and wind up taking the car in 5 times (no, it REALLY WAS 5 TIMES) and they NEVER fixed it, plus ruining some other things.The GM mechanics are idiots. If their scan computer can't tell them what to do, they are as worthless as a bunch of 5 year old girls.I have the GM factory service manual for my Vibe, and there ARE diagnostic steps out lined, but the IDIOTS at GM NEVER even tried to follow them.Leave well enough alone. I sure wish *I* did. There has to be a pretty BIG difference in tire pressure for it to show up on the low tire pressure warning system. Enough so you can see it when the car isn't moving.

[ParknVibe]

I am experimenting with the tire pressure lately. With 35-37 psi on the front tires I started hearing a loud bad noise in the dash directly in front of steering wheel when hitting a rough road patch. It sounds like metal noise. I then adjusted the air to 34 psi in all tires. Not bad but not smooth. I then will try 34 psi in the front and 32 psi in the rear in a week or so. I determined that there is about 80 to 100 pounds MORE weight in the front then in the rear of the 2.4L, Automatic, 09 Vibe. The AWD model has 35 psi in the front and 32psi in the rear. This car is about 250 lbs. more the basic. ( do not have the actual number near me) but I found the car weights in spec. sheet online. I'm trying to get less front tire wear, better MPG, and a quiet, smooth ride.I 'm just putting this out for comments

[vibolista]

What kind of bad metal noise is it? Does it sound like its coming from the inside or beyond the firewall? I've tried pressures from 36 to 42, and settled at 40 front and 38 rear. You might have a lose component under the dash that reacts to the sharper shake provided by a tire at higher pressure. I know that old gen Vibes have a poorly islolated and latched down cruise control module that will make noise once in a while. I think I have heard this little piece once or twice already. You need to hunt down that noise.

[Gandalf]

Higher tire pressure = better mileage. I keep mine at 40 PSI in the summer. I keep them at 32 in the winter, because softer tires do marginally better in the snow.

[ParknVibe]

On page 9-46 of my 2009 Owner's Manual, It says ...."Notice: Do not let anyone tell you that under-inflation or over-inflation is all right. It is not. ......" Later it says: " the recommended cold tire inflation pressure, shown on the label, is the minimum amount of air pressure needed to support your vehicles maximum load carrying capacity."Any comments?

[Old Tele man]

...key word there is "...maximum..." load capacity...that information assumes you've loaded the vehicle to its maximum capacity, which seldom occurs....32psi is recommended, I use 35psi on both of our vibes ('04 and '09) and have experienced no abnormal wear or ride harshness.

[vibolista]

Underinflation = less than recommended cold inflation tire pressure usually found in the car manual or on a sticker on the car.Overinflation = more than recommended tire pressure stamped on the sidewall of the tire by the tire manufacturer. A while back, a whole lot of people got pretty bad inflation recommendations from their manuals. I believe the company that made the vehicle and the tire manufacturer had very different numbers in mind. There were many mishaps, since already underiflated tires (by manual recommendation) were generally left untended for long periods, as many drivers will do. So, of course, over time the already underiflated tires became even softer. The perfect recipe for dissaster. And it was. These poor tires, mostly humming along interstate speeds started to catastrophically fail. Quite a few people were killed. Daily change in temperatures if large enough, can send your tires above or below safe inflation levels. We can start the day around 30 degrees at sunrise and end the day close to 70 degrees in the afternoon hours at certain times of the year in our area.If you use the 1 pound of pressure change per 10 degrees Fahrenheit... that warming would add 4 psi by afternoon in the shade. Say you inflated the tire to 42 psi in the morning and the max rating on the tire is 44 psi. Your tire would reach 46 psi just sitting there in the driveway. It could go higher, if the sun was shining directly on the tire, as well. The reverse process is true as well. As temperatures drop, so does the tire pressure. Driving an underinflated tire can cause enough heat build up to destroy the integrity of the tire as noted before.You have to find that happy medium where your tire and car operate at an optimum level. There is room for different pressures, as long as you never exceed the max cold pressure limit on the tire sidewall or the minimum pressure recommended on your car's sticker. It's a serious safety issue. Y'all don't forget to check your tire pressures often! The benefits are many.

[ParknVibe]

>>>What kind of bad metal noise is it? Does it sound like its coming from the inside or beyond the firewall? It is in the upper part of the dashboard, I guess, and right beyond the speedometer. I did not look up there yet. I have to drive around a lot of bad local streets and roads. There's cracks, holes and patches everywhere. This new car is starting to shake apart. Has anyone check the bolts and nuts for looseness? I have not.