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tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 1:53 pm
by vybr8d
My owners manual keeps referring to this; but I don't have this reset button. Did some of the 2009's not have this?

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 3:16 pm
by trb
All cars 2008 and later are required to have the TPMS setup. I think the reset switch is a leftover comment in the owners manual from the 2008 models, as I don't recall a switch in my 2010. There are a lot of items in the 2009-10 owners manual that are wrong because they did not update it from the 2008 model cars. Lazy, or maybe they knew it would not be around for much longer. The only way to reset it is to make sure all the tires are aired up, or if a sensor is bad, have a new one programmed to your car.

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 3:32 pm
by Caretaker
no, there is a reset button on all cars. They are at the base of the bottom side of your steering column. Slide your hand down the bottom side of the shaft (don't get too excited), and you will feel a small button where the plastic cover ends and the exposed steering shaft starts. Press and hold it to reset the light. In my case, I ditch the aluminum stems every time they get broken and put in a normal rubber valve stem. I don't mind riding around with a TPMS light on all the time. It beats paying $100 a pop ever time a tire jockey breaks the aluminum stems.

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 6:48 pm
by trb
Good information! My daughter just brought my car back, and I found the tiny little button just where the owners manual said it is. I've seen the dash mounted buttons on the earlier models; that was what I was thinking about since I've never seen it. Good to know how these monitors work too vs those in our Ford. So if you hit the reset button, it takes the current pressure of each tire as the new baseline pressure. I don't see anyway to do a reset on our Exploder, it always turns on at about 27 psi. I try to keep the tires at 35 psi.

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:56 pm
by jake75
On my 2009 I have had a few low tire warnings - I have a really slow leak in one tire. And when I added air they went away. So far have not had to "reset".

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:59 pm
by 09vGT
Every time the seasons change from warm to cold my tire light will come on. It was on last week for a while before I put air in them since the temp dropped into the 30's. The lowest was around 25 PSI. I've never had to use the reset button and mine has come on many times; though, I have seen the button trying to change out some fuses.

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 5:41 pm
by vybr8d
Thanks for all the help! I did notice the manual seems kind of "generic" and "vague" at times; but I still really like my car.

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 2:21 pm
by tpollauf
Wow ... never knew this existed :? Junior's Vibe GT has had the TPM light on since springtime when we had a "slow leak" repaired. He still has one tire that is a slow leaker (typical on alloy rims from what I'm told) so I'll look for this button the next time I drive it ;)

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 3:39 pm
by vibenvy
*knocks on wood* I don't think the TPMS light has ever come on on either one of our Vibes because of a tire being low. I do check the tire pressure regularly though, so I don't think the tires have ever gotten more than a couple pounds below the 32 I keep them at. It seems like they have to get significantly low, like 10+ pounds, to trigger the light.

Re: tire pressure monitoring system

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:35 pm
by Vulcan05
Jumped in the Vibe last night and drove about 20 miles to a neighboring town to see a movie. About half way there, the TPMS light came on. "Must be the drop in temperature" I thought.

This morning, I went out to check the tires and found the left rear at about 10 lbs. Blew it up to 32 and the warning light went out as we drove to church. Came out of church and the light was on again. Stopped to see a friend who lived nearby. When I checked the pressure before leaving a couple of hours later, the pressure was 20 lbs. My friend turned on his air compressor (farmers ALWAYS have one) and blew it up for the ride home.

When I got home, I pulled the tire and there is a sheet metal screw in it. Might be too close to the edge to repair. Will see what the tire shop says tomorrow.

I was never a fan of the TPMS, but I now am a convert. By the way, after bringing the tire up to pressure, the TPMS light would go out after a couple of minutes of driving. No reset needed.