What Does TPMS Mean?

Are you a first-time vehicle owner asking, “What does TPMS mean?” The acronym stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. It’s an electronically-operated system that uses sensors to monitor the air pressure inside your tires as you cruise around Havana and beyond. If the system senses that a tire has less than the recommended air pressure, it notifies the driver via a warning light on the dash.

Once a system exclusive to European luxury cars in the 1980s, the TPMS is universally used by automotive manufacturers today, which makes it much easier to prevent tire failure and maintain proper handling under adverse conditions. Keep reading for more information about what the TPMS does, as well as how to check your tire pressure manually! If you have any questions, feel free to give our service department a call at (850) 692-6302, or drop them a line online by clicking here!

Tire Pressure Monitoring System Features

The broad purpose of the TPMS is keeping you aware of low tire pressure as it occurs. Moreover, it serves to prevent things like poor traction, a decrease in your vehicle’s load carrying capabilities, or even a tire blowout! Perhaps most important to Quincy drivers today, low tire pressure on any number of tires can negatively impact fuel economy!

How to Check Tire Pressure Manually

A tire pressure monitoring system is an amazing tool for staying safe on the roads of Crawfordville and beyond, but not every vehicle has this system, as plenty of older vehicles are still on the road! As such, knowing how to check tire pressure manually is a good skill to have! To check your tire pressure, you’ll of course need some sort of tire pressure gauge. They are often handheld, and can be found for a cheap price at your local auto parts store. Once you have this handy tool available, follow these simple steps:

1. Along the outer edge of your vehicle’s rim should be a valve-stem for the tire. This is the conduit by which you will check the air pressure.
2. Remove the cap from the valve stem if there is one.
3. Firmly, but carefully, attach the open end of the tire pressure gauge onto the valve stem. Some air will come out as you practice getting this maneuver down, don’t worry!
4. If the tire pressure is below the manufacturer’s recommended pressure level, fill it using an air compressor or carefully drive it to a local gas station with an air pump. Our service center is also happy to help fill your tires!

Top-Notch Service at Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet

What does TPMS mean? Now you know! If you’re looking for more insight from our service team, check out our service tips online and get answers to common questions, like how often to rate tires and how to measure tread depth.