What is TPMS and How Does it Work?
In response to a surge of accidents due to underinflated tires, the US government passed the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act. One of the outcomes of this legislation was that most vehicles sold after 2007 include a TPMS system of some kind.
Your vehicles Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is designed to warn you when the pressure in one or more of your tires may be low or require service. The TPMS warning indicator is the yellow symbol shown above (horseshoe shape with an exclamation point).
Why is an underinflated tire so important?
- Underinflated tires cause poor fuel economy. The Department of Transportation estimates that underinflated tires waste 2 billion US gallons of fuel each year.
- The life of your tires is not as long when you drive on underinflated tires. When your tires are underinflated the internal temperature rises and causes a breakdown of material bonds inside the tire. Once a tire is weakened, it won’t heal after being re-inflated to the proper pressure. So if a tire has been allowed to run low for a period of time it may need to be replaced.
- Underinflated tires will affect the handling of the vehicle. Properly inflated tires add greater stability, braking and a safer experience for the driver.
- According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, vehicles with under-inflated tires release more than 300 billion pounds of carbon monoxide in the United States each year. By monitoring tire pressure on your vehicles, you can ensure tires are properly inflated so you can help reduce the emission of dangerous pollutants.
It is not uncommon for the TPMS senor to activate when the temperature drops. The air gets denser and takes up less space, meaning reduced pressure from the air in your tires. When the temperature turns colder check your tire pressure and add air as needed — think of adding a bit of air like topping off your gas tank.
When you see the TPMS warning indicator on your vehicle’s instrument panel, immediately check your tire pressure or stop our shop so that we can do it for you. If your alert is still displayed after setting the tire pressure, your TPMS may need to run through a “relearn” process or even require a TPMS sensor replacement. We can also examine your tires for damage, such as a puncture, to explain the air loss.
While we still may be reeling from those long stretches of 100 degree days, it’s time to think about the toll winter can take on your car and the last time your car had a maintenance service. With that in mind: Happy Fall Car Care Month!
With drought one year, and heavy rainfall the next, it’s hard to predict the fall and winter weather in Sacramento. A few things are certain though: there will be less daylight, it will be cold, and it will rain, all which mean you may be driving more and you’ll want your car safe and ready for winter weather.
Like the reasons described in our April 2017 blog, maintenance services are important in the winter as well. Performing regular maintenance services on your vehicle will:
- Give you peace of mind and let you know what is still in good working order. We text you photos of what is good, what may need work down the road, and what should be fixed. Even if you don’t want to do major repairs with us, we want you to have the peace of mind knowing what is in good shape and what needs work. Your safety is our priority.
- Prevent costly and lengthy repair work. Time, weather, how much you drive, and how you drive cause wear and tear on parts. It’s unavoidable. However, oftentimes, if caught early, you can avoid a big repair. For example, transmission fluid doesn’t get low like oil (unless there is a leak), but it gets cycled over and over through the transmission, picking up gunk and loose metal fragments along the way, which can wreak havoc on your transmission. Flushing old transmission fluid out and replacing it with fresh fluid prevents you from needing a costly transmission rebuild down the road.
In colder weather, there are few things that need special attention:
- Check the coolant - even when it’s cold! The term “coolant” can be misleading. If you look at the bottle, you’ll notice it is actually: coolant/antifreeze. Coolant doesn’t simply control your engine from running hot, it regulates engine temperature during colder weather as well. Depending how long the same coolant has been circulating in your car, or if you have a small leak, old coolant needs to be flushed out and replaced. A coolant flush should be done every three years/30,000 miles to prevent rust building up inside engine components. It also helps the components of your cooling system last longer.
- Check tire inflation. Air contracts when it gets colder, which may make your tires look flatter. Tire inflation levels are measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Air pressure can decrease up to 10 psi a month just through every day driving and may potentially drop 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit temperature drop. Improper tire inflation can hurt gas mileage and cause incorrect wear and tear on your tires, thus shortening the life of your tires. At Paul’s we check and adjust your tire pressure for free!
- Windshield wipers, of course. A big tell-tale sign of winter weather in Sacramento is dusting off those windshield wipers after they have gotten little to no use over the summer. The life of windshield wipers is six months to one year. This seemingly simple item is also one of the most important safety items when it is raining, so make sure they are working properly and not coming apart. Another handy item we can apply to your windshield is Aquapel. This product is a long-lasting rain repellant that causes rain to bead up and roll right off your windshield.
The specific maintenance items needed to get your car ready for winter is based on several factors. We will be happy to go over with you the history of your vehicle and what you would need. The Car Care Guide is a useful resource to learn more.
I hope this helped you think about the importance of maintaining your car and your wintertime car care needs. Happy Car Care Month!
Owning A Car In Midtown Sacramento - What You Need To Know
We love being in Midtown and have been here since the early 1980s. In fact, we feel that Paul’s Automotive is synonymous with Midtown, Sacramento. As a result, many of our customers live and/or work locally and drive very little. In fact, I used to be one of those people (before the babies and the necessity of car seats has required me to drive more). I lived, worked, shopped, went out, did everything within a two-mile radius. I barely drove my car; perhaps to Petco, since biking with a 45lb bag of cat litter was not feasible.
I thought, “I hardly ever drive! I don’t need to get anything done until I reach 5,000-miles for an oil change.” It would take me about three years to drive 5,000 miles! Since I started working with Mike at Paul’s Automotive, I’ve discovered that I was woefully misinformed. For you urban dwellers like me out there, who rarely drive, there are still critical things you need done to ensure your car is safe and will last for years. After all, you barely drive, you don’t want to have to buy a new car!!
There are various things that can happen to your car over time, especially if not driven often:
- Oil and other fluids break down due condensation build up;
- Tires lose air and pressure;
- Tires develop flat spots, separate, and crack;
- Windshield wipers crack;
- Hoses and belts crack; and
- Battery’s charge is affected (especially in winter)
If you’re a Midtowner, we don’t expect to see you in the shop several times a year for mileage services or for big repairs, simply because you are not putting thousands of miles on your car. However, we do hope to see you twice a year: at the beginning of the winter and at the beginning of summer. During these visits, we can make sure your car is ready for the season ahead.
After all, two visits a year to ensure the safety and longevity of your car and prevent even more costly repairs down the road is worth it!
Call us for more information on our new Midtowner Service!