False Alarm???

[TheSearcher]

Out for a Saturday drive to look at leaf colors. Computer says right rear tire is flat. Oh No! the last time I was in the car it said the right rear was low at 24 lb./sqi

Turn around and head back to town and with extreme luck find a tire place open. After many struggles to get a jack under car, tire is removed and no leak is found. Put 30 lb. in tire and start and stop and turn of and on several times for about 10 miles back home. Push reset button several times.

Diagnosis - bad or loose sensor. Right???

Computer says 3 lb. in tire; accurate guage shows 30 lb.

 

[WLS Ruby 93]

Volume-Pressure-Heat

When the temperature got cool here in Central Virginia about three weeks ago my '98 TRC gave me a "left front tire flat" display but the tire had 27 lbs in it. So I put 3 extra pounds of air in each tire over specs to allow for the "seasonal contraction" of the air and the problem has not returned.
The Physics principles of Charle's Law and Boyle's Law applies.

Using those principles and depending on how much air volume is in the tire, sometimes a couple of hard braking stops will heat the air in the tire and drive up the pressure temporarily until more air can be added later.

Keep 'em rollin' :W
Bill

 

[njlouc]

Well
I think a pressure gauge should be used often - now that you know there is an issue.

 

[TR04VERT]

Out for a Saturday drive to look at leaf colors. Computer says right rear tire is flat. Oh No! the last time I was in the car it said the right rear was low at 24 lb./sqi

Turn around and head back to town and with extreme luck find a tire place open. After many struggles to get a jack under car, tire is removed and no leak is found. Put 30 lb. in tire and start and stop and turn of and on several times for about 10 miles back home. Push reset button several times.

Diagnosis - bad or loose sensor. Right???

Computer says 3 lb. in tire; accurate guage shows 30 lb.

When the air temp is cooler than normal, when I start up, one of my tires reads "low pressure" then when I drive for a few miles it goes to 25 lbs then higher when warmed up...looks like the change in weather is dictating me to add a few lbs to each tire....tire sensors can be a blessing and sometimes worrysome