About Us > Car Care Tips > Illuminated Light
By Bob McGartland
WHAT THIS ILLUMINATED LIGHT CAN DO FOR YOU!
Most new vehicles now come equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System we call TPMS. When it illuminates on your dashboard it is telling you that one or more of your tires does not have the correct inflation. Recent studies have shown that consumers are not aware of what this light means. If the one on your dashboard illuminates and it looks like a U with tire tread on the bottom and an exclamation point in the center, pay attention! That is your TPMS light telling you your tires are improperly inflated.
- 46% didn’t realize it was supposed to look like tire treads
- One-third didn’t know what a tire-pressuring monitor system was
- 14% figured something was wrong with their car but didn’t know it had anything to do with tire pressure
- 96% of drivers are aware that driving with underinflated tires is not safe
- 44% regularly check their tire pressure
Having properly inflated tires save you money because:
- They last longer! Driving with tires pressures 5 psi below what the manufacturer suggests can lessen your tire’s tread by as much as 25%.
- They save fuel! Underinflated tires lower gas mileage by 0.3% for every 1 psi drop in all four tires. 3.56 million gallons of gas are wasted each day due to this. Save yourself some cash by having your tires pressures correct. You can actually improve gas mileage by 3.3%.
Having properly inflated tires keeps you safe because:
- It affects how your car brakes and handles!
Now that you know what the light means, pass it on and save yourself and others money on tires, gasoline and keep us all safer on the highways.