All About Your TPMS in Livonia
May 8, 2022
Please wait while the video is loading...
Livonia drivers know that underinflated tires wear out more quickly. Underinflation is also a major cause of tire failure for MI auto owners. More flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances are all results of underinflated tires.
It's hard for many Livonia drivers to tell when a radial tire is underinflated. If your owner’s manual recommends 35 pounds of pressure, your tire is considered significantly under-inflated at 26 pounds. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds.
Uncle Sam to the rescue! A recent U.S. federal law required vehicle manufacturer’s to include a Tire Pressure Monitoring System - or TPMS system - in all vehicles. Many Canadian vehicles have them as well. The system is a dashboard mounted warning light that goes off if one or more of the tires falls 25% below its pressure recommendations.
Obviously, all of this doesn't come free for Livonia car owners. Government studies have estimated the net costs. Of course, the TPMS system itself will cost something. Maintaining the system will have a cost, replacement of worn or broken parts and tire repair cost increases. The net cost is estimated to be between $27 and $100.
MI service centers have purchased new scanning equipment to work with the TPMS sensors and updated expensive tire change equipment to better service wheels equipped with the new monitoring systems.
Auto Lab Livonia service advisors have been trained on many systems and new tire-changing techniques. All of this adds up to significantly increased cost to the service center to perform what was once a very inexpensive service. So if you've noticed the cost of flat repairs, tire changes, and rotations going up, please keep in mind that it's because of government mandated safety equipment. Your Livonia service center just wants to keep you safely on the road - and it's committed to do so at a fair price. Remember, this change will help you avoid the most common vehicle failure, and possibly a catastrophic accident.
Auto Lab Livonia
36251 Five Miles Rd
Livonia, MI 48154
734-432-6000
http://www.autolablivonia.com
Need Service?
More articles from Auto Lab Livonia
Lubricate Driveshaft
April 20, 2025
See if any of these are happening to your vehicle. You feel it vibrating excessively underneath when its running, or you hear strange clunking, grating, or grinding sounds coming from beneath. Maybe its hard to turn your vehicle, or you can hear squeaking when youre going slow. Perhaps you fee... More
Rubber Match (Tire Replacement)
April 13, 2025
A set of new tires isn't probably high on anyone's list of exciting purchases. But since your life is literally riding on them, it's probably a good idea to know when it's time for you to buy new ones. If you've been feeling your vehicle slipping more in wet weather or it takes a longer distance... More
Differential Essential (Differential Fluid Exchange)
April 6, 2025
What's the dif? To an automotive technician, it's the differential, a part of your vehicle that helps direct power from the engine to the wheels. The differential is a gearbox that enables the drive wheels to turn at different speeds (they do that when you turn). Inside the differential is a f... More