You can use your vehicle’s hard reset button, a tool like an OBD-II scanner, or manually calibrate the sensors to reset the tire pressure light. If none of these work, bring your vehicle to a dealership to reset the tire pressure light and get help assessing the problem.

Correct tire pressure keeps you safe and prevents accidents. It even saves you money by getting better mileage on evenly inflated tires. Whenever your vehicle’s sensors detect a tire with unusual air pressure, a light will illuminate on your dash. But how do you get it to go away?

To reset your TPMS light, you should make sure the problem is solved first. Here to help you navigate this situation is

Jerry

, a

trusted comparison tool

for helping drivers save money on

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. We’ll cover why your TPMS light is on, five ways to reset the light, and whether you can remove this function or not.

Why does the tire pressure light illuminate?

If your TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) light illuminates, then you either have a problem with your tire pressure or a problem with the monitoring system.

Whenever the air pressure in one or more of your tires is low—or not calibrated correctly—the TPMS light will come on to warn you. You should pull over as soon as possible to check your tire pressure.

Be aware that

cold weather

can affect air pressure. In fact, your tires can lose up to two pounds per square inch (PSI) for every 10 degrees that the temperature goes down. That’s because cold air condenses and takes up less space in your tires.

Direct and indirect TPMS

Most vehicles have both direct and indirect TPMS. Here’s a quick guide to where each sensor is located and why it typically malfunctions.

Direct TPMS (more common on American vehicles)

These sensors are located on the pressure valve or the rim. Data from these sensors are sent to the car’s computer. Bad weather is the most likely cause of the malfunction of direct TPMS.

Indirect TPMS (more common European vehicles)

These sensors are located on a car’s ABS brakes and/or speed sensors on each wheel. As the car moves, these

indirect TPMS

sensors measure wheel rotation speed. This allows the sensor to identify underinflated tires, which rotate much faster compared to properly filled tires.

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How to reset a tire pressure light

It takes less than five minutes to reset a tire pressure light. Here are five ways to reset TPMS:

1. Ensure your tire pressure is correct

Start by assuming that your TPMS light is correct and you have an underinflated tire.

Use a gauge

to check your tire air pressure and then fill them to their correct PSI. You can check your owner’s manual or the tire itself for the target PSI measurement.

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, you can reset the tire pressure light by inflating each tire to its ideal PSI and then deflating the tires to zero. Then inflate again and drive for a couple of minutes at 50 mph to manually calibrate the sensors.

2. Use your vehicle’s TPMS reset button

Some vehicles have a hard reset button that recalibrates the sensors. It’s usually located under the steering wheel but check your owner’s manual to find the location in your model.

Put the key in the ignition and turn it to the ‘ON’ position but don’t start the car. Now, push the reset button for approximately three seconds or until the light starts blinking. Then, start the vehicle and drive for about 20 minutes before turning off the ignition. Note that some newer vehicles have a reset option in Settings on the touchscreen menu instead of a physical button.

MORE:

How to check and add air to car tires

3. Drive for a few minutes at 50 mph for recalibration

Sometimes, your vehicle just needs a few minutes of moving at a constant speed to calibrate the sensors. Drive for a few minutes at 50 mph and allow the sensors to catch up.

4. Disconnect and reconnect the car battery

Have you tried turning it off and on again? Seriously, your onboard computer may just be glitching and need a reset! While disconnecting and reconnecting your car battery can help reset your TPMS light, be aware that this may cause you to lose your radio presets.

5. Use an aftermarket TPMS reset tool

There are aftermarket products like a TPMS reset tool that can help you reset the tire pressure light. You can also use an OBD-II scanner, which is helpful for confirming the

OBD code

before resetting the light.

If none of the above tactics works, it’s possible that you have damaged sensors. If you’re facing a flashing tire pressure light, you could be dealing with a broken sensor or a dying battery. Bring your vehicle to a mechanic for assessment and repair. Driving on uneven and underinflated tires can be dangerous!

MORE: What to do if your tire blows out

Can I remove the TPMS function to solve this?

Removing the TPMS is not recommended. In fact, the NHTSA dictates that all new cars from the 2008 model year and newer must have TPMS. This warning system helps keep you and your fellow drivers safe by reducing the risk of dangerous driving with over or underinflated tires.

Finding affordable car insurance

Resetting your tire pressure takes five minutes, but you could save hundreds of dollars in less than 60 seconds with the

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