Why does the tire pressure monitoring light come on in cold weather when the tires have air?
2 Answers
Reasons why the tire pressure monitoring light comes on in cold weather but the tires have air: The tire pressure monitoring system has a false alarm; After a tire puncture, the air leaks slowly, causing the indicator light to come on; Encountering uneven road surfaces while driving causes different forces on the tires, leading to changes in tire pressure. What to do if the tire pressure is insufficient: If no damage is visible on the car's tires, simply inflate them to the normal pressure and reset the tire pressure system. If a puncture is found upon inspection, drive to a car repair shop promptly to have the tire patched before reinflating. If the tire pressure warning reappears some time after inflation without any punctures, it may be due to air leakage caused by a deformed wheel rim. It is recommended to check the wheel rim and replace it if necessary. How tire pressure monitoring works: It uses pressure sensors installed inside the tires to measure the air pressure, then transmits the pressure information wirelessly from inside the tire to a central receiver module.
It's quite common for the tire pressure monitoring light to suddenly come on when the weather gets cold, even though the tires clearly still have air. This happens because the drop in temperature causes the air inside the tires to contract, lowering the pressure and triggering a false alarm from the sensor. Every time this happens, I first check the pressure gauge to confirm the actual value is within the normal range (e.g., 2.2-2.5 bar), then reset the monitoring system using the method outlined in the vehicle manual. Additionally, don’t forget that tire aging or uneven wear can also mislead the sensor, and this is more likely to occur if the car hasn’t been driven for a while. For safety, I immediately drive to a repair shop for a full scan of the battery and wiring to avoid any nighttime driving mishaps. Regularly checking tire pressure in cold weather is also a good habit to prevent such issues.
