Believe it or not, your car’s tire pressure monitoring system is a life-saving feature that all cars built after Sept. 1, 2007 must have. The first vehicle to feature a tire pressure monitoring system was the Porsche 959 in 1986. Today, the TREAD Act mandates that all automakers include the feature on every vehicle made to warn drivers that they are driving a vehicle with improperly inflated tires.
After the debut of tire pressure monitoring system by Porsche, many high-end vehicle lineups began including these systems. Additional automakers began phasing the life-saving feature into their lineups during 2005. Shortly after the United States began requiring tire pressure monitoring systems in all new vehicles in 2007, a similar law passed in the European Union. Below are 5 reasons why the system is so important and why you should never ignore your car’s tire pressure monitoring system.
-
Make Your Ride Smoother
When your tires are properly filled, your ride is much smoother. Underinflated tires are a leading cause for a bumpy ride. Your tire pressure monitoring system lets you know when you need to add air, so your tires are always at the proper pounds per square inch. The difference in the quality of your driving experience when your tires are properly inflated is significant.
-
Get Better Gas Mileage
No matter what vehicle you drive, properly filled tires help you get better gas mileage in the city and on the highway. This is a great reason to pay attention to your tire pressure monitoring system. When your tire pressure monitoring system light appears, pull over at the closest gas station or rest stop. Then, add or remove air until all of your tires are at the correct pounds per square inch.
-
Extend the Life of Your Tires
Driving on tires that do not have enough air is a major cause of tread wear. Thus, you are able to extend the life of your tires by filling them properly. The tread on over-inflated tires usually wears prematurely in the middle, while under-inflation causes wearing on the outside of the tread. Furthermore, you are less likely to damage your car’s tires when you correctly fill all four.
-
Prevent Blowout Debris from Damaging Your Car
A blowout is one of the scariest experiences a motorist can have, especially if the failure occurs at a high rate of speed or on a wet road during stormy weather. Luckily, since the leading cause of tire blowouts is underinflated tires, your tire pressure monitoring system is great at predicting a future blowout. The moment your tire blows, you may hear a loud pop followed by an immediate loss of most, if not all, of your tire’s air. Depending on where you are driving, this could leave you in a very dangerous position.
-
Blowouts Cause Fatal Accidents
Improperly filled tires cause many fatal car accidents. In fact, it is a leading cause of auto-related fatalities around the world.
You are taking a huge risk if you ignore your car’s tire pressure monitoring system. Lawmakers passed the TREAD Act to protect you from such danger. So, never ignore your tire pressure monitoring system.
“Flat Tire” by The Tire Zoo, Licensed via CC BY 2.0
Connect with us
Recent Blog Entries
Categories
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.