What to do when TPMS is on?

[andresamia]

The TPMS on our mazda 5 GT 2009 beeped and the light turned on last night when I started the car after having dinner out. I checked all tires and did not find any of them to be lacking air although I only inspected them visually, I did not check for actual tire pressure yet. This is the first time this has happened since I bought the car last November (certified preowned from mazda dealer) and I have no experience with cars with TPMS.

Can I just go to a gas station and add air to the tire(s) that needs it? Or do i need to go to mazda to have TPMS checked? How much would I be charged for a service like this?

Thanks!

 

[Davicho]

Just go to any gas station and air up. Visually it may not appear to be but you most likely have a tire with low pressure. Air up and the light should just turn off on its own.

 

[flcruising]

That's pretty incredible that you can check a tire's air pressure without ever putting a gauge on it. Sounds like you need to calibrate your optical pressure gauge.

Ok, kidding aside. Don't go adding air to a tire that you haven't checked the pressure of. 1 that is low will trigger the TPMS, but of course you drive around with 4 tires. So get yourself a $1 pressure gauge and keep tabs on them monthly at least. Don't forget your spare. 6 months without checking the pressure is poor owner maintenance. Also, vehicles come with owner's manuals for a reason; there is conveniently a section in there that tells you exactly what to do when the TPMS light comes on.