tire pressure monitor

[vic2927]

The tire pressure indicator of the monitor shows "low tire pressure" even when I have a little more than the specified amount of air. I've been told that the monitor "must be dirty." Where is such located and can I do anything about it?

[LesGrandsPieds]

I think it might actually be inside the tires themselves, mounted internally inside the rims.

I would also like to proudly say that my dad is the inventor of the "Wheel-mounted tire pressure gauage" He invented it for truck drivers so they could see the pressure of their tires just by simply walking around and looking at them.
My dad is such a genius, too bad his patent ran out.

[vic2927]

Thanks for your insight. I'm sorry your Dad's patent ran out. Many a person has just missed a fortune that way.

[ugsrich]

Not all vehicles have an actual "sensor". Rather they use the antilock transducers at each wheel and monitor wheel speed. If the computer notices a significant difference between the speed of one wheel as compared to the other three a notice about low tire pressure will be given. To my knowledge my '95 has neither a sensor nor a wheel speed monitor of the type described.

[vic2927]

Thanks very much. My Aurora is a 2001. I had a friend tell me today that the sensors are mounted in the value stems and that whenever I had new tires put on they probably replaced one or more stems, not knowing that these were of the type they were. I can't identify when the problem began. Anyone ever heard of this?

[apostolakisl]

The 2001 Aurora monitors tire pressure indirectly by monitoring tire speed. If one tire turns at a different speed than the others, it assumes it has lost air (and therefore is a slightly smaller tire needing to spin faster to keep up). Once the warning has been tripped, it will continue to go off until it is properly reset. If you just hit reset when the warning comes on, this will only reset the warning until the next time you start the car. You must scroll to the gage section of the menu and then to the tire pressure section. Push and hold the reset button for about 5 seconds until the warning returns to normal. If the light comes on again, you either have a low tire or a broken tire speed sensor.

[vic2927]

Thanks a million, Apostolakisl. It's below freezing here in the deep South, but I had to go try your solution. It worked! Not that I'm surprised that you gave good advice, just that so many whom I had asked didn't know.
By the way, I'm interested in your screen name. I've studied a little Greek, but it's rusty. If you care to share, I'll send you my email address. Thanks again.