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Tyre pressure warning light came on

Check the cause before you drive far: cold weather, a slow leak or a flat.

17 items · 5 sections · car, mechanic, driver, tyre

Start this checklist

First minute (3)

  • Stay calm and slow down smoothly, no hard braking
  • Look at the light: steady means low pressure, flashing then steady means the sensor system has a fault
  • Pull over somewhere flat and safe if the car pulls to one side or feels wobbly

Look and listen (4)

  • Walk round the car and look at all four tyres and the spareOne that sits visibly lower than the others is your leak.
  • Look for a nail, screw or bulge in the tread and sidewall
  • Listen for a hiss near each tyre
  • If a tyre is flat or shredded, do not drive on it: change it or call roadside help

Check the pressure (4)

  • Find the correct pressure on the sticker inside the driver door or in the manualNot the number on the tyre sidewall: that is the maximum.
  • Measure each tyre with a gauge when the tyres are cold, before driving more than 2 or 3 km
  • Fill up to the sticker pressure at a petrol station air pump
  • Check the spare too, if it is a full-size one

After filling (3)

  • Drive a few minutes: the light often goes out by itself
  • If your car needs it, reset the system using the button or the menu in the manual
  • Cold weather drops pressure about 1 psi for every 10 °F (roughly 0.1 bar for 15 °C): a cold morning can be the whole story

If it comes back (3)

  • Light back within a day or two means a slow leak: get the tyre checked and patched
  • Never ignore a repeat: under-inflated tyres wear fast, use more fuel and can fail at speed
  • A flashing light that stays on after filling needs a sensor check at a garage

Written from www.nhtsa.gov

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