BMW Tire Pressure Monitor issue

The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) on my BMW keeps acting up lately. It keeps telling me my tires are low, when they are not. It happens when it gets cold. Is anybody else having this issue? or is it just me?

Any input would be appreciated.

 

If you haven't already, check your spare.

 

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of individual air molecules. If air is heated within a closed container, such as a tire which is enclosed with air, the air pressure inside the container will rise following Charles's 2nd law. You get the opposite effect if in the cold, you'll lose pressure and density. Your seeing a "flat" TPS warning in the cold because of the loss in air pressure. The TPS sensor can be reset at any given pressure with a reset button in your car. I'm betting your setting for the TPS is set at 33psi and your normal temperature tire pressure is prob. at the threshold before the TPS senses low air. Once it gets colder, you see a drop in psi thus activating the TPS sensor.

 

backtothewoo - based on Bladerunner's AWESOME explaination.

I can confirm his explaination -
our BMW's TMP has activated during really cold temps (on the rare occasion we didnt park it in the garage). I took it in for service about a month ago.

The tech recommended that we warm up the car 2-5 minutes and drive a few miles. Sure enough the TMP warning disengaged once the tires were warmed do to road surface & friction. Tech explained kenetic energy will heat the air and increase tire pressure.

Based on this - we have not had an issue

 

I am fairly sure this is normal. Our car gives the same warning when it's cold. If you check your tires manually with a guage you'll find that the pressure really is that low. It's a factor of temperature. I am not sure how the BMW warning is but it's fairly annoying on the Acura when the temperature varies a lot.

 

What kind of fancy city slicker car tells the pressure of each tire and displays that information, that's NASA stuff your talkin bout, who you tryin to fool. Either that, or you must drive one of them real expensive imported automobiles.

 

It's fairly common now even on mid-range domestics. We test drove a
Taurus the other day and TPM is standard across all trims. I am not sure if it tells you specifically each tire level but it does have some form of a monitoring system.

 

I'm pretty sure all new cars must have some type of TPM system as an active safety system per the NTSB.

You can thank Ford Motor Company and Firestone

 

Not trying to stir the pot

I absolutely trust the recommendation of my BMW "master" tech and his instructions turned my BMW TPM off during a few fluke alerts (one of the first things he did was check the spare) prior to dispensing his advice.

In theory if makes sense that after the first cold blast the tires will regulate - however we have had a crazy winter with temps with record highs and lows in a short period of time.

 

My little VW GTI has a TPMS, certainly not a fancy high-roller Bimmer.

If you plan on adding a separate set of snow tires (like we need them!), expect to drop $200 or so on a set of sensors - otherwise the little warning light will come on.

Tire Rack and other companies sells kits, 3rd Eye is the name of one example