Pulled a DOH! and learned something new about the MS3

[Mocoso]

So Im on the 101 East about to get on the exchange to the 405 North when the car starts beeping at me and the yellow tire light goes on in the dashboard... stupid me first reaction is the traction control has gone nutz... Im sitting there going: WTF Im not turning - why is the traction control buzzing at me.... then I realize: Oh sh.. that's right... this thing DOES come with tire pressure monitor.... immediately followed by: OH SH... I need to get off the damn freeway and change the tire!!!! The spare donut sucks btw... but changing the tire is easy

All this time I had forgotten the car came with tire pressure sensor LOL

 

[DE31]

so basically you blew a tire?

 

[~JoJo~]

yeah i had to read the manual the first time it beeped too...haha my tires were just low though, and it was cold

 

[xandrake]

Mine goes nuts all the time and flashes, but I never hear a beep?

 

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

According to the manual, the TPMS goes off at 22 pounds. This is why I think this system is ridiculous on a car like this. How can you own this type of vehicle and not check your pressures often enough to notice that it is below 30, much less 22? I have had it go off, but it was because I picked up something on the way home and when I came out in the morning and started the car the alarm started beeping. I would have realized that the tire was almost flat as soon as I started driving, so it still wasn't necessary.
On this topic, does anybody know if there is an easy way to completely disable the system?

Edit: I just checked the manual and my memory is faulty. It does not state a specific pressure threshhold that will set off the system.
I know I read somewhere that in addition to whatever else may set it off, a tire below 22 pounds will do it. I need to do some more searching.

 

[~JoJo~]

mine SOOO did not go off at 22. Last time it beeped and I took it to the tire shop it was reading at 30. Even the mazda guy said it happens all the time with tpms car. I wonder if there is a setting you can adjust on them, but so far I am running around 32-34pounds and it's fine.

 

[jbiird317]

According to the manual, the TPMS goes off at 22 pounds.

thats not what my service manager said. I was told it will go off when the tire pressure varies more than 2 psi from where the TPMS is calibrated (which I think is 30psi?). That is why so many people have issues with the light on in cold weather.

To the OP, I had my TPMS light go off the first day I had the car, no idea what it was, I pulled off the highway and checked the manual, turns out the tire pressure was fine tho, just a false alarm.

 

[Breezy]

I was told that it would sound if there was a variance in the pressures of the tires on each axle. Thus if LF was 35 and RF was 30, it might go off.

 

[~JoJo~]

basically if it goes off, something is off and gotta check your tires all around.

btw, how does the tmps looks like? I've changed my rims a couple times, and have no idea if it's still functioning.

 

[robin2660]

mine SOOO did not go off at 22. Last time it beeped and I took it to the tire shop it was reading at 30. Even the mazda guy said it happens all the time with tpms car. I wonder if there is a setting you can adjust on them, but so far I am running around 32-34pounds and it's fine.

Wait. Your TPMS warning went off and you took it to the tire shop?

My first step would've been to check the pressure and, if it was low, to look for something in the tire.

 

[~JoJo~]

I had to get an oil change at that same time, which is why I asked them, plust it was my first car with tpms so I was being very careful.

 

[guy_incognito]

Mine went off at < 30 psi, the first time it was ever in snow.

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Yes...

thats not what my service manager said. I was told it will go off when the tire pressure varies more than 2 psi from where the TPMS is calibrated (which I think is 30psi?). That is why so many people have issues with the light on in cold weather.

To the OP, I had my TPMS light go off the first day I had the car, no idea what it was, I pulled off the highway and checked the manual, turns out the tire pressure was fine tho, just a false alarm.

The system goes off when it senses a variance of 2 psi across all 4 tires.

My TMPS went off within minutes of my rear tire taking a screw. I drove it to dealer and got it fixed. I think the system is fantastic for just this reason. Visually all the tires looked fine, but sure enough the tech foudn a screw in the right rear.

Had I not been warned I could have had a blow-out at 80 and killed myself.

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

This makes sense as well

Mine went off at < 30 psi, the first time it was ever in snow.

If it's freezing out then then the TMPS will go off because the tires are cold. I added a couple of PSI to the tires and problem was solved. I run my stock-sized tires (Pirelli PZero's) at 34psi all around.

 

[ragindark]

One thing is for sure, the light won't go off if you have too much air in your tires. I took my Mazdaspeed 3 to the dealer to get another free oil change and they asked me if I wanted my tires rotated and I told them I would do it myself.

After I got my car home, I rotated my tires and I took it to go adjust the tire pressure. I always check my tire pressure so I know that it should only drop by a couple of pounds if I check them cold. I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked down at my tire gauge and it said I had 40 pounds in every tire. No wonder the car felt weird on the way home. I assumed that because I told them not to rotate my tires that they would leave them alone.

Note to self...DON'T BRING CAR TO DEALER UNLESS TURBO IS ON FIRE AND BLOWING BLUE SMOKE!!!

 

[Adammazda06]

you also forgot that it comes with roadside assistant and mazda would have sent someone out to change it for free if you were not in any hurry.

 

[Mocoso]

you also forgot that it comes with roadside assistant and mazda would have sent someone out to change it for free if you were not in any hurry.

If I had been stuck on freeway given it was night time I would have called for the safety aspect of it... something just didnt seem right to call for assistance given I had made it to gas station....