RussianTC

Ok here's my stupid post of the day...
So I took my tC to the dealership to get my free oil change (1st) yesterday. (BTW if you live in the Bay Area, I highly recommend Putnam Toyota. Sure it took an hour and a half, but they washed my car and it looked immaculate. ) So this morning I'm driving to work and I notice my low tire pressure light comes on. It doesn't blink or anything just stays on. After work I check again and yep, it's still there. I pull up to a gas station, check my pressure, seems fine. I have 32psi in the front and 29 in the back. So i press the stupid button in the glove box and the light goes off. I'm driving from work and about 15 min. into the trip the light goes on again. So, should I take it in to the dealer, or do that long reset procedure they describe in the manual? I assumed that they prolly reinflated my tires at the oilchange and forgot to reset. Did anyone go through this already?

chucksu

Get your tires to the right PSI Those low pressure systems are sensitive at times. So just 3 PSI below what its set to read could make it turn on.

RussianTC

Ugh, I guess I need to buy one of those digital readers. The one I have isn't too accurate. But hey, I thought that if I reset it, it would consider the new PSI as the default. So why did it go off again after I reset the button? :?:

chucksu

I dont think it resets the stock PSI number. That would be odd. Some ppl would just keep doing that until they have no air in the tire then :?.

elwood58

The monitoring system is actually using data from the Anti-locking break system. When a tire gets low on air, it turns at a slower speed, and the anti-locking brake system picks up on that.

Set all tires to the recommended PSI and follow the reset procedure in the manual.

The objective is not to fool the light into staying out, but have it come on when a tire gets low on pressure.

I know you are wondering why an xB guy thinks he knows how the tC system works? I have a Mini Cooper with the exact same setup as the tC.

JasonH

It does. You could just keep resetting it until all your tires were out of air. It only senses a change in the number of rotations in each wheel. If a tire gets low, it needs to spin faster than the others to keep up, since its circumference is reduced.

Yeah, have the dealer check it out. Are you restting it properly (per the manual)?

komik

Mine just came on for the first time today. I let my mom drive my car this morning and when she got back it was on. I asked her about it and she said "I thought about calling you and asking what it was..."
I said "Ok, why didn't you?"
She tells me she thought it didn't look bad and would have asked if the light had been red instead of orange. I said that makes me feel real good about her driving my car, an orange light comes on in a week old car and she just ignores it. WTF?
Sorry, had to _____ about that.

RussianTC

Thought I'd give an update....
Well I took my car to the dealership twice. The first time they checked the tires. They seemed fine, so they reset the light. Told me to come back if it comes back on. I drove for about a day and nothing. The next day, light comes on. I bring it back to the dealership the day after that. They check my tires, say my rear tire is losing air. Dealership was closing so they couldn't do anything about it. I got to a mechanic down the street. They take my tire off and inspect for nails. Nothing. Dump it in water. No air bubbles. I reset the light myself. Been driving for 2 days now, hasn't come back on. I swear if it comes back on tommorow, i'm gonna be ____ed

paulyahnig

I saw the light come on, and checked the tires, back left was down to 12psi! Week old car and I got a damn screw in the tire. Just my luck. Nice to have the warning.......it was hard to see it going flat becuase of the profile of them.