PDA

View Full Version : Flat Tire

slowbird
12-05-2005, 02:02 PM
I ran over a nail or something and my tire was flat...I noticed and pulled into a gas station. I had ZERO PSI in the tire...it was the rear driversside....but the Tire Pressure light didn't come on...why was that?

I drove for a minute or two with the flat.
MantaGreen97
12-05-2005, 02:10 PM
Bah, it's because the "low-cost" Tyre Pressure Monitor in these cars don't actually monitor the pressure in the tyres.

Instead it uses the ABS sensors do detect a change in rolling radius of the tyre. I guess in your case, the ABS just didn't detect enough of a difference between that tyre and the other ones to set the Low-Tire-Pressure light on :roll2:

It's pretty environmental/random I think. Like I've heard of the TPM setting off the light if only a few psi are removed from any one tyre. And theh you have stories like yours where the tyre is completely out of air and the light doesn't come on. :roll2: I.e. Don't rely on the monitor to tell you if your tyres are low.
slowbird
12-05-2005, 02:12 PM
oh.....that's lame.
sunrunner_pei
12-05-2005, 02:13 PM
GM discontinued the Tire Pressure Monitor after the 1999 model year. The cutout is in the dash for the idiot light, but it is not functional.
sunrunner_pei
12-05-2005, 02:14 PM
Originally posted by sunrunner_pei
GM discontinued the Tire Pressure Monitor after the 1999 model year. The cutout is in the dash for the idiot light, but it is not functional.

What's funny, is that they re-designed the cluster in 2001, but still included the cutout for the 'Low Tire Press' light. :lol:
99GrandAMSE
12-05-2005, 02:14 PM
... in other words, it didn't work properly :roflmfao:
MantaGreen97
12-05-2005, 06:06 PM
Originally posted by sunrunner_pei
GM discontinued the Tire Pressure Monitor after the 1999 model year.

LOL I didn't know that part :lol: But they only had it on the GA for the 99 model year--like that is when it started! :lol: So they only had it for one year on the GA!

But it was used on W-bodies after 99 I'm pretty sure...
sunrunner_pei
12-05-2005, 06:53 PM
Originally posted by MantaGreen97
LOL I didn't know that part :lol: But they only had it on the GA for the 99 model year--like that is when it started! :lol: So they only had it for one year on the GA!

But it was used on W-bodies after 99 I'm pretty sure...

Yup, that's correct. They only had it on 1999 Grand Ams with the 3400 V6 and 16" wheels/tires. And even then, still not every '99 with those options got the tire pressure monitor. :lol: It was a very short-lived option. :)