Useless TPMS?

[wilsonfocus86]

I got a low tire pressure warning light few months back, too. Pulled over just in case something was terribly wrong. Nothing, not even the slightest looking "flat" tire. When I got home and checked all 4 tires....they all had psi readings of 29-ish.

[craigsfocus]

Originally Posted by pozi240

I think the system would be a much more useful tool if Ford reprogrammed the onboard monitor to show us the actual pressure for each tire. I mean, I know its very easy to do, its just a programming change for the 4" display in the dash...some Euro versions already have this. I was in a rental Dodge last year, and it showed the pressures for all four corners of the car, so, you knew exactly what each tire had... now, that is useful.

I agree. My old 2007 Chevy Equinox showed the tire pressure for each corner of the car. I was pretty surprised when I got my Focus and it didn't have that feature. My TPMS light is on right now. I checked my tire pressures and my right rear tire is down 1lb. I have nitrogen in my tires so I have to go to the dealership so I can get it filled for free.

[pozi240]

Originally Posted by TiStick

That is probably a feature in the more upscale models. TPMS is a federal mandate, how it is displayed is a matter of cost and packaging. This is a Focus, not an Audi.

Not really, the rental Dodge was an entry level Avenger SXT, and my co worker's 3 year old "econo box" Nissan Versa has it as well. It certainly is not "upscale" by any stretch... And the EU version of our car has it and other features displayed on the info screen as well...

[SaToX]

Originally Posted by TiStick

That is probably a feature in the more upscale models. TPMS is a federal mandate, how it is displayed is a matter of cost and packaging. This is a Focus, not an Audi.

I paid alot of damn money for how things are displayed in the car. 8" touch screen with a 4" color screen in the cluster. Albeit not the price of an Audi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1G3_Jf9nMU

Check this video out, looks like on a cruze you can see your pressure, but video also states that its mandated that the light come on when the pressure goes lower than 25% of the recommended amount stated from the factory.
35 - 25% is 26.25

[SolidDark]

My light came on this past Sunday. Took it to the dealer
Where I bought it (nitgroen filled tires) they said it was
Down to 28psi. They filled it up, and I was good to go.

[SaToX]

Not sure if the issue would have anything to do with Nitrogen or not. As far as I know I only have regular air in my tires.

[SolidDark]

I was just pointing out that the dealer said my tire psi was 28
When my light came on. And yours came on at 23 psi. Is there a diffrents in
the computer program when the cars are made?

[SaToX]

Originally Posted by SolidDark

I was just pointing out that the dealer said my tire psi was 28
When my light came on. And yours came on at 23 psi. Is there a diffrents in
the computer program when the cars are made?

I appreciate your input, its letting me know that their are inconsistencies between cars on the TPMS being triggered. Hopefully we can get a few more people to check their cars and we can get this resolved.

[jsr72]

Originally Posted by suss6052

The system is designed to detect a wild swing between tires, but if they are all at the same pressure it may not sound the alarm as there is no delta pressure to the other tires.

Isn't that true only for indirect systems?

[Bolto]

My low pressure warning came on at about 27 psi when I was driving down the freeway. I'm actually pretty glad that I had the TPMS because it was a slow leak that I wouldn't have seen until it was too late. With the low profile PS3s, I couldn't see a visual difference between 40 and 27 psi; when I got out to check, I thought it was a false alarm. But when I got home and checked with my digital gauge, the TPMS was right.