Just curious how effective the tire pressure management system is. Will it let me know if the tires are a little low, or only if there is something stuck in one? Should I be checking the pressure myself?

 

You have to check pressures yourself. The regulations only required that TPMS warn at 25% pressure loss. It was meant as a safety measure (prevent blowouts) rather than to maintain optimum pressure.

 

Yup, gotta do it yourself. I heard 30% pressure loss or greater. It probably varies a fair amount from unit to unit.

 

Ruined a rear tire last week. The TPMS came on while on the freeway, I slowed down and got off at the next exit and added air. I then took the back roads home ( 6 miles ) and the tire was still at 32 lbs but when the tire was removed from the wheel the interior sidewall had blistered.

Safe to say the tire was already low on air when I left the house and the damage was done before the warning came. Pretty sure by the wear to the screw head I had been driving on it for a while. Slightly disappointed the warning came so late.

No one to blame but myself as the big *** screw removed came from my work truck.