Why Does My Tire Pressure Light Come On When It's Cold Outside?

As the weather becomes colder and colder, you might notice your car's tires are looking a little different in the mornings. Whether you leave your car outside, bearing the snow and ice, or safely tucked in your garage, the air is still getting colder. This cold air can lead your tires to deflate a little which might cause your TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) light to turn on. You might be wondering, "Why does that happen and what should I do about it?" If that sounds like you, you have come to the right place!

Why Does Cold Air Deflate My Tires?

When the temperature drops, the air in your tire doesn't escape. So you don't need to go searching for a hole unless you have other reasons to suspect a hole in your tire. The air in your tire actually condenses in colder temperatures. You can even test this with other objects.

Take a basketball for example!

If you leave a basketball outside overnight, the air will condense inside the ball will condense a little as the temperature drops. If you come back in the morning or afternoon when the temperature heats back up, the air pressure in the ball will probably be back to normal.

If your TMPS, or tire-pressure monitoring system, warning light turns on due to cold weather, it will probably be a temporary problem because warmer temperatures or even just driving your car will heat them up, causing the air to expand.

While the air pressure in your tires may come back to normal when the temperature increases, you shouldn't ignore low air pressure in your tires. When it gets colder outside, your tires lose about 1 PSI (pounds per square inch) for every 10 degrees that the temperature drops. This can add up if the temperature changes drastically.

You also want to keep in mind that your tires will naturally loose air pressure over time as well. They will lose 1 PSI a month naturally. If your car loses a lot of air pressure, you might want to get them inflated.

Driving with tires that have low air pressure is very dangerous, and mixing icy roads and deflate tires just makes matters even worse. Low air pressure in your tires can lead to decreased stopping time, lower gas mileage, and even decreased tire lifespan!

Other Reasons Why Your Tire Pressure Light Might Be On

• You Could Have A Hole In Your Tire
  Holes in your tires are never fun. Odds are, you are probably going to have to replace the one tire, or maybe even all four! If you think you have a hole in your tire, carefully inspect your tires tread and sidewall. If you can't find a hole but you suspect that is the cause of the low tire pressure, contact a mobile mechanic as soon as possible.
• It Has Been A Long Time Since You Added Air To Your Tires
  Checking your tire pressure and adding air when necessary is often an overlooked aspect of vehicle maintenance. Having under-inflated can be very dangerous and lead to an accident. We recommend that you get your tire pressure checked when you get your oil changed so you can stay on top of any issues that may have gone unnoticed.
• There Is A Problem With The Tire Pressure Sensor
  While this one isn't very common, it is possible. You tires might not have low air pressure, there just might be something wrong with the sensor that causes it to turn on. If this is the case, you want to get your car looked at by a professional to determine the underlying issue so that you will get more accurate alerts in the future.

What Should I Do Now?

Now that you know why you shouldn't ignore low tire pressure, you might be wondering which steps you should take next. If your TPMS warning light turned on, you should visit a professional and have the air pressure checked out. You want to be sure that your tire pressure isn't too low, but a little less pressure is normal in cold weather. If you ignore the TPMS light and there is a problem with your tires such as a hole or a leak, then you might get into an accident or damage your car even more.

You can book an appointment with Wrench's skilled mobile mechanics to take a look at your tire pressure and make sure you are good to go. In no time, you will have the peace of mind that your car will keep you safely on the road.

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Book An Appointment With A Wrench Mobile Mechanic Today!

To book an appointment with Wrench's mobile mechanics, click the "Get a free quote" button at the bottom of this screen and fill out our short service request form. Our mobile mechanics have plenty of experience taking care of cars that develop issues due to the cold weather, so if you are ever stuck on what to do next, book a diagnostic appointment and we will help you figure out a plan. We will deliver our services to any convenient location, in any weather situation, as long as the area is safe and relatively flat.

You can also take a look at all the services we have to offer, the cities we are available in, and the vehicles we can repair.

For more general tips on how to take care of your car in the winter season, click here to read another recent blog post. If you have any other questions about the services we offer to help you take care of your car in the winter season, talk to our friendly customer service team through email at hello@wrench.com, or by phone, at 844-997-3624.