Can You Drive When the Car's Tire Pressure Warning Light Comes On?

[DiGianna]

You should not drive when the car's tire pressure warning light comes on. If the tire pressure warning light appears while driving, the driver needs to stop and inspect the tires immediately. Effects of Tire Pressure Warning: Both excessively high and low tire pressure can impact driving safety. Abnormal tire pressure compromises the comfort of the vehicle and increases the risk of tire blowouts. Additionally, low tire pressure can lead to increased fuel consumption and reduced engine power. Tire Pressure Standards: According to the international GBT2978-2008 standard: Standard tires: 2.4-2.5 bar; Reinforced tires: 2.8-2.9 bar; Maximum pressure: Should not exceed 3.5 bar.

[Grayson]

Last time my tire pressure warning light came on, it gave me quite a scare. I immediately pulled over with hazard lights on. Using a mechanical tire gauge, I found the left rear tire was down to 1.6 (normal is 2.5), with the sidewall completely flat. The mechanic said continuing to drive like that would let the rim crush the tire, ruining it completely. If you absolutely must drive in an emergency, remember to slow below 40 km/h – driving 2-3 km to a repair shop might be okay. But if the alarm suddenly goes off on the highway, I absolutely recommend stopping in the emergency lane and calling for help – my friend stubbornly kept driving last year and ended up with a warped rim costing over 4,000 yuan to fix.

[Cathy]

As a mom driver, my principle is to address the tire pressure warning light immediately. Once, while driving my child to school, the light came on and I promptly pulled over to check. The tire pressure was only 0.3 lower than standard, but the kindergarten teacher had told me: when tire pressure is 25% below the standard value, braking distance increases by over 10%. Thinking of my child in the back seat, I decisively called my husband to bring the spare tire. I always keep an electric air pump in the trunk and recommend all female drivers to have one—it can provide emergency inflation to get you to the repair shop.

[CarolineLee]

When I first started working, I encountered a tire pressure warning but stubbornly drove to the office. The HR manager just shook her head seeing all the scratches on my rims. Now I’ve learned: there are two types of tire pressure lights. A slow-flashing yellow light might indicate a slow leak—you can refill the tire and make it to a repair shop. But if it’s a solid red light or rapid flashing, you must pull over immediately—it’s likely a flat tire or pressure below 1.5 bar. Remember, the tire pressure reset button is on the lower left side of the steering wheel; after patching the tire, hold it down for 3 seconds to clear the alert. Also, a heads-up for those with aftermarket rims: low-profile tires are more prone to bulging when underinflated!