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What does the tire pressure warning light on our car's dashboard indicate?

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The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light is an important safety alert that indicates that one or more tires have a pressure lower than the recommended value (usually by 25-30%). On some cars, it can also indicate that the pressure is too high: the light flashes for a period when the car is started and then remains on. In this case, it signals a malfunction of the sensors or the TPMS control unit.

There are two systems for measuring tire pressure: the indirect system does not have pressure sensors inside the wheels but uses the ABS/ESP sensors. A deflated tire has a smaller diameter and rotates faster than the others; the control unit detects this difference and turns on the light. It is a valid system, but it is less accurate and does not indicate the actual pressure values; if all the tires are deflated in the same way, it does not detect it.

The direct system has a battery-operated radio sensor in each wheel, mounted on the valve, and measures the pressure in real-time for each individual tire. However, the sensors are delicate, expensive (non-rechargeable), and need to be replaced periodically.

Posted on 14 December 2025 by ScegliAuto

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