Tire pressure problem
 

For the past few weeks my tire pressure warning has been going on, but I haven't thought much of it because the dealer told me that in colder weather (it's been 40-50 degrees F) it takes a while for the tires to warm up. After I drove it for about 10-15 minutes or so, the warning would go off each time.

I decided to check the pressure today in all four tires to make sure I didn't have any major problems, using a gauge that is probably 5-10 years old...I made sure to deflate/inflate the tires all to 32 psi. Later, I drove around for about a half hour and the tire pressure warning light never went off, which is not usual. I even ran the car hard pretty much the whole time.

Could this be a TPMS malfunction? A bad gauge? Or should I inflate the tires a little more in colder climates...any insight would be greatly appreciated!

They're supposed to be set at 32psi cold; when they heat up they'll get in the mid to high 30's which is fine since they're rated up to 50 psi I believe. Just set them at 32 cold like you did, and you'll have no problems with the pressure sensor as you've already discovered.

If you do what Ole Spiff says and you still have problems, you may want to have the seals on the TPMS sensors checked out. My light used to go on and stay on all the time and it turned out the seal on one of the sensors was poor causing a constant slow air leak.

Add air in winter, release some in summer (if necessary). I've had to add air every winter since I've started driving.

Thanks for the insight guys, I really appreciate it...that helps out a whole lot

I used to have the same problem, my tire pressure light will turn on all the time and stay on, if it turns off, then u have no problem, but if it stays on then u have a problem in one of your wheels, check your pressures properly. either one of them needs to be inflated or repaired.

yep, now that it is getting cold out again, my light has come on the last two mornings. Time to add a little more air, they go down to about 26-27 when it gets this cold.

I think the pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10 degree drop in ambient temperature. As it gets colder you usually need to check and add a little air to them.

I do have these chunks, maybe a couple of them an inch in diameter but maybe a centimeter thick into one of my rear tires...nothing I hit, they just appear, and I'm seeing more of them on other tires as time goes by, although not big, maybe a little rip here and there...they're on the outside of the tires, rim side...

could that be a problem?

what kind of tires are they, and how do you drive...really spirited, on the track, autocross? That does not sound good to me. I have only seen one other person with that condition, and it was on tires not meant to be autocrossed.