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Why Do Cooler Temps Trigger Low Tire Pressure? A Meteorologist Explains

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With the impending cool down coming this week, South Florida is about to get a taste of winter that will match the calendar with the proper temperatures.

While lows this week will not be record-breaking, they will be some 10 to 15 degrees below average mid-week.

This change will easily spawn a fun switch in your daily wardrobe but it may also trigger an unwanted alert in your car.

NBC 6 meteorologist Ryan Phillips explains why this happens and what you might have to do to correct it:

If you park outside overnight this week, your car may be susceptible to your tire pressure monitoring system being triggered.

The TPMS, for short, light will illuminate if your car senses even a subtle change in air pressure. This change is in response to the colder air settling in.

Phillips suggests to, first, take a visual inspection of your car, to ensure that your tires look OK. It’s reasonable that as the ambient temperatures warm throughout the day, pressures will stabilize and the TPMS will disengage automatically.

Many times, a cool spell will trigger the light in the morning, and turn off by mid-day, with no consequence.

If it doesn’t, adding a bit of air that matches the manufacturer’s recommendation would be a logical next step.

Should tires look low, or the TMPS light remain engaged, that’s the time
to seek professional help to make sure there is not a problem with any individual tire.

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