October started out feeling more like June or July. The near record breaking triple digit temperatures were too much to bear, even for native Tucsonans. Now there’s low pressure moving through and we’ve been fortunate enough to have cooler mornings and temperate afternoons.

Although this is a welcome change in weather for most Arizonans, it can also cause a few concerns. If your TPMS light is on, chances are you’ve experienced one of the common side effects to the changing season.

Weather and Your TPMS Light

During the summer months, your tires contended with warmer temperatures. The heat makes tires overinflated.

Now that the mercury is dropping, the opposite is true. Cooler temperatures can dramatically under inflate your tires. With the crisp mornings, you could see a sudden decrease in tire pressure.

TPMS lights don’t activate when tires are overinflated. They only come on when your tires are below the recommended tire pressure. If you didn’t see your TPMS light come on in the heat of the summer, that’s why.

Why TPMS Lights are More Common in the Fall

When you understand how tire pressure changes in the warmer and cooler temperatures, it’s clear why the TPMS light comes on. Still, when we’re dealing with mid-90 degree temperatures during the day, seeing the TPMS light illuminate on your dashboard might feel unusual.

During the summer, your tire pressure was likely set for the high temperatures. As the mornings cool down to mid 50’s and low 60’s, the air temperature gets cold enough to cause your tires to deflate slightly. Regardless of the hot afternoons, your tire pressure light will still illuminate to warn you of the low pressure.

If your tires have nitrogen, you might not be as prone to seeing the TPMS light illuminate because nitrogen molecules are naturally bigger than oxygen. Less air is able to seep out and less moisture is able to seep in. Each of these factors can affect your TPMS light.

What to Do When the TPMS Light Comes On

You should never ignore a warning light on your dashboard! If any light comes on, it means something needs your attention, or the attention of your mechanic.

With your TPMS light, try to bring your vehicle in to Rita Ranch Automotive & Tire first thing in the morning. We open at 7:30 a.m. This way, we can check the tire pressure when it’s at its low point during the day and adjust accordingly. If you wait until the afternoon, you’ll cause your tires to heat up from the friction of the road and from the heat of the day. This can skew what we see making it difficult for us to adjust your tire pressure accordingly.

If you ignore the light, you’re putting yourself and others on the road at risk. As you drive on under inflated tires, the heat of the road can cause the tires to overheat. When they do, you could risk having a dangerous blowout while driving.

Come in and get your tires checked out as soon as you see your TPMS light. This warning light isn’t one you should ignore.