It has been down right cold in Michigan over the weekend, and it the cold weather might be the cause of it.

My low tire light came on Saturday and thought I had low tire pressure. I went to check the tire pressure in my tires and the psi is fine. I am wondering if its due to ther fact that it is so cold out the the sensor froze.

Has anyone in the Northern part of the US or Europe has experienced this?

 

when did you check? after the tires warmed up or after its cooled?

we hit about -2 with wind chill, my sensor went off... 2 days later it went above freezing, it turned off.

i topped each tire to the high end of recommend just in case, a day later though

 

-11F here right now and just got back with no TPMS light on. I do what Punisher said regarding the pressure.

 

I checked the tire pressure after the tires were warmed up. I did hit a pothole Friday night. I wasn't going very fast when I hit. Only about 20 mph or so. I might go to the dealer after work and get it checked out.

 

-22F Here this morning on my commute to work. Can't comment on the TPMS lights as it's always on b/c I'm on my winter wheels. Last winter however, it hit the teens and my light went on. I was around 24lbs but it didn't go on until I hit a seam in the road square with both front tires. Came on the instant I hit the seam... wasn't big but enough of a jolt to give the sensors a "kick".

~SB

 

As soon as it warmed up yesterday ( Mid 20-s) the light went away. As I was on my way to the dealer.

 

Check the tire pressure when cold (meaning the tires are cold, before driving on them). If your TPMS warning light came on your tires are down a few lbs and you probably need air, even if the light went off when it got warmer.

Tires lose pressure when any of the following happens:
1. Temperature goes down.
2. Passage of time- air does slowly leak so it's a good idea to check the pressure every month or so. Some tires lose a lb a month.
3. Something causes a leak- a nail, etc.

 

The rule of thumb is to add one pound of air for every 10 degree variation in temperature. If you garage your car, you get to do a little math. Let's say it is 50* in my garage, and 20* outside...I'll need to add an extra 3 lbs of air to correct for the cold.
Same deal works in the summer but requires removing some air to compensate for the car sitting in a cool, shaded garage.
Far better to measure tire pressure when the car hasn't been run, and with no complicating issues like warm sunlight on one side of the car.
Moon

 

We had zero degrees and my light came on. My tires WERE low. It's like that cold snap sucked the air right out of them. And when I went down the road to fill them while they were cold, it was impossible. I was freezing and it was so cold I don't even think air was actually getting through. I didn't want to let air OUT in trying either. So the next day, still freezing, I let my mechanic fill 'em up to 36lbs. Light went off in a minute after driving. Partly my fault- I didn't check enough before hand. I've been too busy digging out of blizzards every seven days. This is one badass mofo winter.

Dan

 

It is really tough without a garage; the kid's car sits in the driveway, and it's a pain to check her tires.
Now, all that said, there's a case to be made for having a 12v compressor (adequate for couple pound adjustments; it will fill a tire, but it's not quick) and for anticipating cold weather by bumping up the tire pressure a little in the fall.
I'm blessed with a big, somewhat stationary compressor, and a 5 gallon air tank that I actually haul around to top up the tires; it's less trouble than stringing the air hose all over, and works in the driveway or out in the outer garage.
I'm on the winter rims as well, tho' I do miss the TPMS; saved a buddy who picked up a nail in his Fit.
Moon

 

The small compressors are fine to add air to tires. But look at how much air they move (not the max. pressure but how many CFM), because I found that the $30 one works much faster than the $20 one...

 

Beginning of the winter I raised the pressure to 35psi. After the first cold snap I checked them and seeing them a bit 'low' I again boosted to 36 all around. Things have been fine so far. I'm lucky that there's a Stewart's 3mile down the road and they provide free air and a plowed parking lot so checking is easy. It really irks me that 'stations' most always charge for air. I'm even seeing it on toll roads - the epitome of greed.

I think people make too much of the 'check pressure when cold' idea. If I were tracking maybe, but this is a small passenger car. Do you really think 2psi makes a ton of difference. Important to match pressure all around, even fore and aft differences are a thing of the past.

I like the concept of the TPMS. I've driven FWD cars with rear tires flat and not realized it. So far the bugger hasn't tripped me up. I believe under 31psi will trigger them and cold weather does lower tire pressure..

 

I believe that the difference in pressure between cold and hot can be a lot more than a couple of lbs.

 

IME, the tps will not come on until you reach about 25psi. Even 27psi, which I have gotten down to once, will not trigger the light. When that light comes on, you better believe one or all of your tires are very low on air. I have a 'jazz' type portable unit that will pump air, but that's slow. I have a Hess near work that provides free air- I notice most Hess's do that. But that night it just wasn't going right. It was just too extreme. The moral is- check the damn tires frequently. And if you're spinning the OEM Dunlops, you better make it a habit. They lose air. They just lose air. Whether it's summer or winter, they don't hold air well. Normal frequent checks are a must. Or like me, if you get lazy enough you'll find yourself stooped over one day freezing your balls off just to get a tps to go off.

Dan

 

Don't forget to check the spare. I believe it does have a sensor and if it does it will trip the light if the cold puts it on the fringe. It may be worth checking.

 

Direct from the God's of Honda 2008-2010 FIT

Tire pressure sensor
Each sensor is an integrated unit made up of the tire valve stem, a pressure sensor, and a transmitter. The unit is
attached to the inside of the wheel, around the valve stem. The sensor transmits the internal tire information to the
control unit once every 60 seconds when the vehicle speed exceeds 28 mph (45 km/h). When the TPMS control unit
receives a tire pressure signal that is less than 175 kPa (1.8 kgf/cm2, 25 psi) with 15 inch wheels, or 183 kPa (1.9 kgf/cm2,
27 psi) with 16 inch wheels, the TPMS control unit then turns on the low tire pressure indicator. When that tire's pressure
is increased to more than 200 kPa (2.0 kgf/cm2, 29 psi) with 15 inch wheels, or 210 kPa (2.1 kgf/cm2, 30 psi) with 16 inch
wheels, and the vehicle is driven above 28 mph (45 km/h) the transmitter sends the tire pressure signal to the control
unit, and then the control unit turns the indicator off.

Pressure Changing by Temperature
Tire pressures increase slightly as the temperature in the
tires rises during driving.

Pressures can also increase or decrease slightly with
changes in outside air temperature.

A temperature change of about 18 °F (10 °C) changes tire
pressure by about 10 kPa (0.1 kgf/cm2, 1.5 psi). If the
temperature drops, tire pressure could decrease enough
to turn on the low tire pressure indicator, but later, the
tire temperature could increase enough to turn the
indicator off. To resolve a complaint of such intermittent
indications, confirm and clear the stored DTC(s) and
check the tire pressures. Then explain to the customer
how temperature changes can affect the system.

 

Aww, c'mon Cardinal, allow for us anal retentive folks....BTW, my bride's panzer calls for 3 lbs less in the back than the front, and believe it or not, it does make for more neutral handling. I picked up the habit of fooling with tire pressure with VW Bugs; they definitely handled better with a lot more air in the back tires.
Moon

 

Hey Moon - You're right, I'm keeping it to the Fit I guess.

My VW's were the same way - with the engine back there and the only weight up front being the 3gal of gas in the tank that I could afford the front end did tend to go its own way. I did keep that spare over inflated though, other wise that washer squirt thing would only dribble...

 

Funny how many here share the same previous experiences...

BTW, have you noticed a slight difference in the diameter of the valve stems for the TPMS wheels? I find that my one tire pressure gauge doesn't fit over the stems very easily.
Moon

 

I bought a new brass dial gauge w/ the valve mounted solid on the side and and a relief button as well have had no problem. What I do like about those stems is they're sure solid.

I did stop by AutoZone and got ma a bradie new set of solid black heavy duty valve stem caps for a buck380. Deep threaded good covers, it's the little things that count.