Car manufacturers equip newer car models with tire pressure monitor sensors (TPMS) to notify the driver when any of their car tires run flat. Manufacturers design this sensor to light up on the dashboard whenever the tire pressure goes 25% below the recommended PSI.
It is okay to assume that the warning light on the dashboard should disappear after inflating the tires. But that’s not always the case. You need to reset the system if the warning light stays lit even after inflating the tires.
If you ignore the light, you won’t know when the system will notify you of low air pressure on another tire. This article will explain how to reset tire pressure light and stay informed whenever anything goes wrong with the system. It’ll also answer some critical questions, like where is the TPMS reset button.
How to reset tire pressure light
There’s one thing you need to understand before we proceed. Resetting tire pressure lights varies from one car to the other. This means that how to reset tire pressure light on Honda Civic is different from how to reset tire pressure light on Mercedes.
However, you can use some general techniques on any car model. Let’s explore these general techniques before examining personified approaches for some car models.
Ensure the tires are correctly inflated
Before resetting the tire pressure light, fix all low tire pressures and ensure you inflate them properly. Get a tire pressure gauge and inspect the tire pressure.
After that, inflate the tires to the recommended psi and deflate them. Then, re-inflate them to the recommended psi and drive the vehicle within the neighborhood for around 25 to 30 minutes while maintaining 20MPH. This will calibrate the TPMS manually.
Use the TPMS reset buttons.
Cars with direct tire pressure monitors have reset buttons underneath the steering wheel. You can conveniently calibrate the tire pressure monitor sensors through the reset button. If you’re asking, where is TPMS reset button? Kindly, note that the location differs from one vehicle to the other. However, most cars have the reset button behind the steering wheel.
To reset the tire pressure light using the reset button:
- Insert the key into the ignition and turn it to the ON position.
- Depress and hold the reset button for 3 seconds or until the light starts flashing.
- Turn on the ride and drive for around 15 to 30 minutes. The light should disappear after the test drive.
But if that doesn’t clear the light, try the next option.
Re-gauge the tires and drive at 50 mph
Recheck the tires and ensure they are correctly inflated. Drive the car for about 10 to 15 miles while maintaining 50mph. This will calibrate the monitors without doing anything else. It is advisable to use the cruise control to sustain the 50mph. Meanwhile, your specific vehicle may require you to drive around 60 to 75 mph.
Remove and reconnect battery terminals
You may be wondering why is my tire pressure light still on after filling tires. It could be due to bad tires or a faulty tire pressure monitor sensor. We published an article on why, causes, and how to fix tire pressure light blinking. It outlined probable causes, effects, and precautionary measures on tire pressure lights.
If the root cause of the tire pressure light on your dash is car computer glitches, the only solutions could be as simple as disconnecting and reconnecting the battery cables. To do this properly, disconnect the positive battery and leave it for 5 minutes. Press the horn while waiting to drain the stored electric flow in the system. Reconnect the battery cable, and the warning light will disappear.
Reset the light with a TPMS reset tool
Another way of resetting the tire pressure light is by using a TPMS reset or relearn tool. You’ll see many of these tools in online and local auto parts stores. We published a detailed article on how to program a TPMS sensor. It‘ll walk you through the steps and procedures on how to reset the TPMS sensor.
If none of the above steps could reset the tire pressure light, you could have a bad TPMS sensor that needs replacement, bad tires resulting from nails in tires, or other tire issues.
Now, let’s examine some personified approaches on how to reset tire pressure lights on some cars.
TPMS reset for Honda cars built from 2016 upwards
This is the right guide if you’re wondering how to reset tire pressure light on Honda Civic 2016 or how to reset tire pressure light on Honda CRV 2016. It also works on any Honda cars built from 2016 upwards with a touchscreen display.
- Navigate to the home menu
- Click on settings
- Select TPMS calibration
- Scroll down and click on calibrate.
If your model does not have a touchscreen, select the TPMS calibration, and click on calibrate using the control buttons on the steering wheel.
Toyota TPMS reset
Toyota cars usually come with a TPMS reset button underneath the steering wheel. The reset buttons on Toyota are somewhat hidden. Toyota manufacturers place the button close to the pedals. Follow the directives below if you’re wondering how to reset tire pressure light on Toyota Rav4 or how to reset tire pressure light on Toyota Corolla or any Toyota car model.
- Turn the ignition to the ON position. Do not start the car.
- Depress and hold the reset button for 3 to 5 seconds
- Return the key to the OFF position
- Turn on the engine.
Volkswagen TPMS reset
Like Toyotas, Volkswagen comes with TPMS reset buttons, but their location varies from one model to another. However, the TPMS buttons are mainly placed near the gear shifter or inside the glove box. Locate the button on your specific model, depress, and hold it until you hear a beep.
Newer Volkswagen cars have a feature that enables you to calibrate the TPMS via the infotainment display.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Q: How do you get the tire pressure light to go off?
Most times, tire pressure lights do not come on accidentally. Something may have triggered it, and you need to fix what caused it to rectify the problem. A Tire pressure light on the dash could mean you have bad tires, flat tires, bad TPMS sensors, or computer glitches. The most prevalent cause is flat tires.
To clear off the light, you have to track and rectify the leading cause. However, the warning light may not go off even after resolving the culprit. In that case, you’ll need to reset the tire pressure light by following the above guidelines.
Q: Why won’t my tire pressure light go off?
If your tire pressure light stays lit after inflating your tires or fixing the root cause, you have to reset the TPMS. To do this:
- Disconnect the battery terminal and leave it for five minutes.
- Press the horn while waiting to drain the stored electric current in the electrical systems.
- Reconnect the terminal after the five minutes wait.
It could also mean you are yet to track the leading cause, which could be bad tires, low tire pressure, or TPMS issues.
Q: Why is my tire pressure light on when my tire pressure is fine?
There may be a gradual air leak from the tires even when the tire pressure is fine. The light may be on because you have damaged tires, faulty tire valves, a dead TPMS battery, or a defective tire pressure sensor. Also, it could be everything is fine, but the system needs to be reset or programmed.
Q: Is it OK if tire pressure is a little high?
Overinflated tires are not safe. Overinflating tires more than their capacity makes them inflexible and vulnerable to damage. And overinflation will make tires more susceptible to damage from debris, curbs, or portholes.
Q: What is a dangerously low psi for tires?
The lowest tire pressure one can drive on is 20 psi. However, 20 psi is not even recommended. Anything below 20 psi is low, and you should inflate the tires. Recommended car tire pressures are between 32 to 35 psi.
Final Words
Tracking and fixing low tire pressures and other causes of tire pressure light blinking on the dashboard may not clear the light from the dashboard. In most cases, the warning light will keep blinking until you reset the system through the reset button TPMS relearn tool after rectifying the root cause.
There are many ways to reset the TMPS light. Here, we have explored the process and procedures of how to reset tire pressure light. Follow the general reset techniques if we do not mention your car model.
