Tire pressure monitoring systems are required on new vehicles by law in America. This is not a feature that Honda installs as a feature on just some Civic trims. For more than a decade, Honda has been installing systems and they have been driving some Honda Civic owners crazy. They certainly do help let you know if a tire is losing pressure. However, in many cases, these systems can be an annoyance as well. Here are the reasons that your Honda Civic has a “Tire Pressure Monitoring System” alert. We will refer to it as “TPMS” from here forward in our story. Before we begin, if your TPMS system warning light is on now, pull to safety and immediately check your tire pressure. Some vehicles can display the pressure in the vehicle's information display. If your Civic doesn’t, use a tire pressure gauge to check the pressures. The correct setpoints for your Honda Civic are listed on the driver’s door. Do not drive your Civic with the TPMS light on without verifying that the tires have proper air pressure. Civic Tire Pressure Warning - Temperatures Have Dropped If you find that the pressure inside your tires is lower than the setpoint, add air to top them off to the correct pressure. The TPMS light will normally go out shortly after you set the pressures to the proper level. If just a single tire is lower than the rest by more than around 30%, have a tire technician investigate. Civic Tire Pressure Warning - You Have a Flat Or More Than One Flat Civic Tire Pressure Warning - TPMS System Failure If you have checked that the pressure in your tires is correct using a tire gauge, and the TPMS system is displaying a warning, ask a mechanic for help. You don’t have to go to a Honda dealer, but if your Civic is under the initial new vehicle warranty, that would certainly make sense. Like any system in your Civic, age and damage can cause a problem with the TPMS system. Individual sensors in the tires can be replaced, but the system's computer will still need to be re-initialized. We suggest that this job is best done by a mechanic or tire professional who understands the system and can handle the work. Civic Tire Pressure Warning - Tire Sealants Be aware that some TPMS systems are sensitive to the sizes of tires. You should only use the exact size tire your Civic came with. If you have mounted aftermarket wheels with a different size tire, the retailer who did the work should be able to explain to you how they will resolve the TPMS system errors. Civic Tire Pressure Warning - Nitrogen Is Unnecessary Furthermore, your Honda Civic was designed to work perfectly fine using compressed air. Can inflating an underinflated tire with nitrogen cause the TPMS light to go out? It might. Just as inflating the tire with compressed air should do. If you wish to spend money on nitrogen, feel free. Just know that the Civic doesn’t need it. A TPMS system alert can be an annoyance, but for the most part, it is a feature that is intended to help us in case a dangerous situation develops. Add air to your Civic’s tires when temperatures begin to drop in early winter. Reset the pressure to the proper PSI again in early summer. These are the best two habits you can have to avoid TPMS issues in your Civic. Resources: Civic Tire Pressure Frequently Asked Questions: John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. Following his engineering program, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin Hover mouse over image to see photo credits How do you reset the air pressure sensor on a Honda Civic?How to Reset Tire Pressure Monitoring System in Newer Honda Vehicles. From the home screen, select Settings.. Select Vehicle.. Select TPMS Calibration.. Select Calibrate.. What should my tire pressure be 2015 Honda Civic?Front: 35 psi (high speed driving) Rear: 33 psi (high speed driving) Front: 32 psi. Rear: 32 psi.
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