Back to all

All About Your TPMS in Troy

August 18, 2019



Troy drivers know that underinflated tires wear out more quickly. Underinflation is also a major cause of tire failure for Michigan auto owners. More flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances are all results of underinflated tires.

It's hard for many Troy 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 Troy 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.

Michigan 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.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Troy 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 Troy 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.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Troy
530 E. Maple Rd.
Troy, Michigan 48083
248.585.2770
https://www.tuffytroy.com/

More articles from Tuffy Troy Auto Repair

The Part You've Never Seen (Flat Tires and Solutions)

April 27, 2025

They say your vehicle has one, but you've never seen it. And you might not even know it if you stumbled on it accidentally. We're talking about the jack, that tool that allows you to lift one corner of the vehicle up so someone can change a flat tire. So you say you'd never try to change a flat ... More

Before You Buy that Used Vehicle (Having a Used Car Inspected Before Buying)

April 20, 2025

Let's face it. New vehicles are expensive, so finding a good used one can save drivers a lot of money. It's tempting to look through ads, find a private seller who has what you're looking for and pay a price you think is a great deal. But when you go over to look at a used car, do you really k... More

Automotive Tips from Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Troy: Knowing When Your Timing Belt Should Be Replaced

April 13, 2025

The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Troy drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure.Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more expensiv... More