Q: Why does the TPMS light come on when driving with a spare on the car?
Why does the TPMS light come on when driving with a spare on the car?
If you’ve had the misfortune of getting a flat tire and have had to install the spare tire, you’ve seen the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light come on in the dash. Why is that? Here’s what you need to know:
The spare tire is not equipped with a TPMS sensor, so the TPMS light on the dash comes on because it cannot get a reading from that tire.
The light will stay on until you have the normal wheel replaced.
Once you have the normal wheel and a new tire back on the car, you should only need to drive for a few miles for it to turn off (the TPMS system just needs to check the system and rest the light).
If your car has the multi-information display, you will also see a message that reads “Check TPMS System”. This will go away after you have the regular wheel reinstalled on the car.
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