Don't Ignore This Dashboard Light!
I have to admit, I often ignored symbols that lit up on my vehicle's dashboard. Either I didn't know what they meant or I was afraid to find out. There was no other symbol I ignored as much as the low tire pressure light. Do you ignore this symbol when it pops up on your dashboard? Let's find out why you shouldn't!First, I'd like to give you a little history lesson. Don't fall asleep on me.By law, all passenger cars from 2007 and newer are required to have TPMS or tire pressure monitoring systems. Each tire has a sensor that measures the tire pressure. When the tire pressure drops to unsafe ranges, it illuminates this (see directly left) warning light on your dashboard.This was a partial response by Congress to the Ford Explorer/Firestone Tire rollover accidents in the 90s. Firestone claims Ford kept the tire pressures on the Explorer artificially low in order to better stabilize the top-heavy SUV. The low tire pressures made the tires more likely to delaminate and blow out. Congress decided low tire pressures were in fact an issue in the accidents and passed a law that car manufacturers have to warn drivers when their tires were becoming dangerously low.
So, if this light illuminates on your dashboard, please do not ignore it! It means the tire pressure in one or more tires is low and needs to be inflated to the pressure recommended.To be safe, save gas and your tires, do not ignore your tire pressure dashboard light. Fill up at a gas station or take it to your local mechanic who most likely will fill your tire(s) with air for free.Questions about tire pressure? Email me :-)
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