Why does the tire pressure warning light suddenly come on during normal driving?
2 Answers
Normal driving with the tire pressure warning light suddenly illuminating indicates abnormal tire pressure. The standard tire pressures for different tires are as follows: Standard tires: 2.4-2.5bar; Reinforced tires: 2.8-2.9bar; Maximum pressure: should not exceed 3.5bar. Abnormal tire pressure is generally caused by the following 3 reasons: Abnormal tire pressure: The system typically alerts when pressure falls below 1.8bar or exceeds 3.0bar. In this case, tire inspection and pressure adjustment are required. Tire pressure monitoring system not reset: After inflating the tires, if the tire pressure monitoring system is not reset promptly, it continues to record the previous data, causing the tire pressure warning light to illuminate. Simply performing a tire pressure reset will resolve this issue. Damaged tire pressure sensor: The tire pressure sensor, which monitors tire pressure, is directly installed inside the tire and connected to the tire inflation valve. If the sensor is damaged by impact during driving, it can also trigger the tire pressure warning light. For sensor damage issues, the only solution is to replace it with a new component.
A sudden tire pressure warning light is no small matter! As a driver, I dread encountering such unexpected situations the most—it usually means there's an issue with the tires. The most common cause is a slow leak from running over a nail or sharp object, which happened to me recently. It could also be due to a aging valve stem leaking air or a deformed wheel rim compromising the seal. High-speed driving in summer is particularly prone to triggering alarms from excessive tire heat—when this happens, slow down and pull over immediately. Never push through it; my friend once kept driving with just 1.0 bar of pressure and ended up ruining the wheel rim. Now I always keep a portable air pump in the car—if the light comes on, I inflate first and monitor, heading straight to a tire shop if the warning persists. Remember, a pressure difference exceeding 0.3 bar between any two tires will also activate the light, so it's best to calibrate electronic monitors monthly with a mechanical gauge.
