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Is Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Lying to You?

Your modern-day vehicle is very sophisticated these days. There are many systems on your vehicle protecting you and warning you if any emergencies arise. One such system is the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The system is designed to alert you of an underinflated tire. If you have ever had the TPMS warning light come on while driving, you know what a deflating feeling that can be. 😉 But beware, sometimes it can misinform you. You see, some vehicles have a TPMS that has the capability of indicating specifically which tire is underinflated, LF, RR etc. BUT, if your tires have been rotated and the shop did not perform a "Tire Position Relearn Procedure", the TPMS has lost track of which tire is which. So now the RR tire is going flat, but the TPMS thinks it is the LF tire. You get out of the car and look at the LF tire and you’re puzzled as to why the TPMS light is on. So, you naturally hop back into your car, drive away and ruin your RR tire as a result of driving on it underinflated.

It happens. We’ve seen it.

At Severna Park Automotive, we take great pride in keeping up with technology to prevent this from happening to our customers. Stop by anytime your TPMS light comes on and we will gladly check your tire pressures and add air if needed.

Besides keeping an eye out for your TPMS light, we recommend having your vehicle serviced at least twice a year regardless of miles driven. The reason for these seasonal checks is to perform a complete inspection of your vehicle to include but not limited to checking and topping up of all fluids and the following important items:

• Tire Pressures - It is important to check your tire pressures at the change of the seasons since the temperature differences between summer and winter can and will change the pressure in the tires. Properly inflated tires will wear better, handle the conditions better, and can improve your gas mileage versus underinflated tires. We check and set your tire pressures at every oil change.
• Tire Rotation - We perform tire rotations per the industry standard rotation patterns. This improves overall tread wear and tread life. We also perform the "Tire Position Relearn Procedure" when equipped.
• Tire Tread - Tread on the tires is one of the most important maintenance/safety items to check. It could mean the difference between staying on the road or losing traction and sliding off the road. It also greatly affects stopping distance. Every tire has "Tread Wear Indicators" that are molded in between the tread grooves. When the tread is worn flush to the indicators, the tire needs to be replaced.
• Battery Test - Batteries always seem to fail at the worst times, whether it's a cold wintry day or a scorching hot day. A lot of marginal batteries will fail during these temperature swings. It's important to test your vehicle's battery during these bi-annual seasonal checks.
• Wiper Blades – In rain or snow, the wipers have a very important job - keep your windshield clean so you can see clearly in inclement weather. When the wipers don't clean well or they streak and chatter, your poor visibility may lead into dangerous situations. We inspect them closely to make sure they are up to the task of keeping you safe.
• Antifreeze - With longer flushing intervals, antifreeze maintenance sometimes gets overlooked. Not only is the freeze protection important but so is refreshing the anti-corrosion components and lubricants in the antifreeze. We test the antifreeze for all of these important properties to keep you on the road all year round.

Schedule your seasonal check with us today!

https://www.severnaparkautomotive.com/Specials

Severna Park Automotive
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-647-8322
Address: 499 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146
www.severnaparkautomotive.com