New Toyota Camry tire pressure light came on and then off

Question

My new Toyota Camry (LE 2014, just bought with no miles on it) all over the sudden had a "Tire pressure" warning light come on on the dashboard about 1 week after purchase.

It stayed on consistently for a about a week (minor driving during that week, may be 20 miles total)... and then just as inexplicably the light stopped and didn't appear again.

What could be the reason? Should i be concerned and contact service department even if the light stays off?

The only thing I can think of that may be correlated was that a day before it came on; my tire accidentally hit/climed on a curb when parking... AND, about 1 hour before it turned off, it hit another curb again.

Answer 1

Tire pressure goes up and down with the weather. As we know from physics, gas and volume and pressure are all controlled by temperature: pv=nrt. The car may have indeed been low pressure when you drove it off the lot (presumably during a cold spell), and after some combination of heat from driving on the pavement / warmer weather, the pressure may have come up above minimal levels. Carlots have variable practices in routine maintenance of their fleet, yours may have been particularly negligent in keeping pressure.

If the low pressure light hasn't come back on, you are probably fine. I would actually check the darn pressure and bring it up to recommended levels, even if the light isn't on (this will save money and still protect you from puncture risks). Automatic gauges on cars have mixed receptions. Some think they're unreliable. Others don't bother putting air in their tires until the light comes on.

Answer 2

First of all, I doubt it's a huge issue with your vehicle. If you did a visual inspection of the tires (or even with a tire pressure gauge) and found there wasn't any issues, I wouldn't think it's an issue. Remember, as well, most TPS systems will register a problem if the pressure is too high, too low, or if a sensor quits transmitting. It (obviously) seems strange that the light went on/off in your brand new car. If you are worried about the system, the car is completely under warranty (unless you've changed out the wheels). I would take it in and have the system checked. There is a code which can appear in the OBD-II system indicating if a sensor is going bad. The bumps on the curb should not have had any affect on the TPS system. If this was the case, you'd be getting a light every time you hit a pot hole or speed bump.