How to Turn Off the Low Tire Pressure Light (and Why It Stays On)
To turn off the low tire pressure light, check all four tires (and the spare, if it has a sensor) with a gauge when they are cold, then inflate them to the pressure on the sticker inside the driver’s door jamb, not the number on the tire. Drive at about 50 mph or more for 10 to 20 minutes and the light usually goes off on its own. If it stays on, use the car’s TPMS reset button or menu (many Toyota, Subaru, Nissan and Honda models have one). A flashing light that then stays on means a TPMS fault, such as a dead sensor battery, and needs a tire shop.
The tire pressure warning light, a yellow horseshoe shape with an exclamation mark, is one of the most common dashboard lights. It often comes on during the first cold morning of the season, and it can stay on even after you add air. Since 2007, all new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that must warn you when a tire is 25% or more below the recommended pressure.
This guide explains what the light means, how to turn it off step by step, how the reset works on common brands, and what to do when it will not go off.
How to Turn Off the Low Tire Pressure Light
Check all tires with a tire gauge before driving, or after the car has been parked for at least three hours. Warm tires read higher than they really are.
Use the tire placard on the driver’s door jamb (or in the owner’s manual). The number molded on the tire sidewall is the maximum, not the recommended pressure.
Add air to each low tire and recheck with the gauge. Check the spare too if your car monitors it.
Drive at a steady speed, ideally around 50 mph or more. Most systems recheck the sensors and switch the light off on their own.
If your car has a TPMS reset button (often under the steering wheel or in the glovebox) or a reset option in the settings menu, use it with the tires at the correct pressure, then drive again.
If the light flashes for about a minute when you start the car and then stays on, the TPMS has a fault. A tire shop can scan the sensors and replace a failed one.
What the Tire Pressure Light Means
| Light behavior | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Solid light | One or more tires are significantly low | Check and inflate all tires |
| Flashing about a minute, then solid | TPMS malfunction (sensor, battery, receiver) | Check pressures, then visit a tire shop |
| On in the morning, off later | Cold air lowered pressure overnight | Top up to the placard pressure when cold |
| Came on suddenly while driving | Possible puncture or fast leak | Slow down, pull over safely and inspect |
| On after new tires or rotation | Sensors need relearning or one was damaged | Ask the shop to relearn or check sensors |
Why the Tire Pressure Light Stays On After Adding Air
- One tire is still low. Check all four with a gauge, not by eye.
- The spare is low on cars that monitor the spare.
- The system has not rechecked yet. Drive a little longer at a steady speed.
- Overinflation. Some systems also warn when pressures are far too high.
- The car needs a reset or relearn, especially after a tire rotation or new tires.
- A sensor battery has died. TPMS sensors often last around 5 to 10 years.
- A slow leak from a nail, a bad valve stem or a corroded rim.
TPMS Reset by Brand (Common Methods)
| Brand | Typical method |
|---|---|
| Toyota | TPMS reset button under the dash or in the glovebox on many models, or a setting in the gauge cluster menu. Hold until the light blinks slowly three times |
| Honda | Many models use indirect TPMS: calibrate in the settings menu after inflating |
| Nissan | Usually resets itself after driving. Many models have Easy Fill Tire Alert that honks when the right pressure is reached |
| Subaru | Usually resets after driving at the correct pressure. A stubborn light may need a shop scan tool |
| Ford, GM | Usually resets after driving. A relearn tool may be needed after rotation |
Methods vary by model and year, so check your owner’s manual. For step-by-step Toyota instructions, see how to reset the tire pressure light on a Toyota and why the Toyota tire pressure light is on when the tires are fine.
Is It Safe to Drive With the Tire Pressure Light On?
For a short, gentle drive to the nearest air pump, usually yes. Driving for long on a significantly underinflated tire is not safe: it increases stopping distances, hurts handling, wears the tire quickly and can cause a blowout. If the light came on suddenly or the car pulls to one side, stop safely and inspect the tire. You may need to change a flat tire.
- Keep a digital tire gauge in the glovebox. Gas station gauges are often inaccurate.
- Check pressures once a month and before long trips.
- Tire pressure drops roughly 1 psi for every 10°F fall in temperature.
- Ask for TPMS service kits (new valve cores and seals) when buying tires.
- Do not just put tape over the light. It is a safety warning.
To turn off the low tire pressure light, check all tires cold, inflate them to the pressure on the driver’s door sticker, and drive for 10 to 20 minutes. Use your car’s TPMS reset if the light stays on. A light that flashes and then stays on points to a TPMS fault, usually a dead sensor, and needs a tire shop.
Low Tire Pressure Light FAQs
Inflate all tires to the pressure on the driver’s door jamb sticker, then drive for 10 to 20 minutes. If it stays on, use the TPMS reset button or menu if your car has one.
A tire can be 25% low and still look normal. Cold weather also lowers pressure. Check all tires with a gauge.
A light that flashes for about a minute and then stays on means the TPMS has a fault, often a dead sensor battery or damaged sensor.
Usually 10 to 20 minutes of driving after the tires are inflated correctly, sometimes a little longer.
Common reasons are one tire still slightly low, pressures set warm instead of cold, or a failed sensor. Set pressures cold to the door sticker and drive. If it stays on or flashes, have the sensors scanned.
Yes. Pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10°F, so the first cold mornings often trigger the light. Top up to the placard pressure.
- Check pressures cold with a gauge.
- Inflate to the door jamb sticker.
- Drive 10-20 minutes to clear the light.
- Use the TPMS reset if it stays on.
- Flashing light = sensor fault, see a shop.
