2005 OBW Tire Pressure Sensors

[R. Gerard]

Bought my first Subaru, a 2005 LL Bean edition OWB.

It came standard with tire-pressure sensors.

If the pressure is, what?, too low OR too high, a dash icon shaped
liked a tire flashes on and off.

The dealer warned me not to be alarmed if the dash icon illuminates
on cold days, advising that it would turn off after the tires warmed up.

Well, recently, on my first long trip, from Washington, D.C., to
Boston, on the way back to D.C., the tire pressure icon on the dash
flashed at me for hours, literally.

I admit to preferring to slightly over-inflate my tires all around,
by two or three pounds. Is this sufficient to set this off? Are others
seeing this? Any way to disable it???

Many thanks,
Bob

 

[Edward Hayes]

If several pounds too high triggers it I don't want it. My view is
it's just another example of the government meddling in the pretext of
saving ourselves as idiot vehicle owners. These "safety" additions
(day time lights, parking brake on, seat belt buzzer, are more things
to go wrong and add to the ownership cost. I support next is an auto
wipers on in the rain, auto headlight on in the rain and a few more.

 

[R. Gerard]

Agree...but don't blame the government. It has nothing whatsoever to
do with it. Some other piece of useless "technology" the Japanese
decided to slap on.

Disagree with you on daytime running lights (in MD and VA, the law
now is wipers on/lights on). These save lives and cars, too.

Agree with you on the DAMN buzzers and my favorite pet peeve is those
G.D. trucks with their incessant beep beep beep beep every time they
shift into reverse.


n article <aXW0f.112110$(e-mail address removed)>,

 

[B a r r y]

Agree...but don't blame the government. It has nothing whatsoever to
do with it. Some other piece of useless "technology" the Japanese
decided to slap on.

Actually, it's mandated. I think it goes back to the whole Ford
Exploder / Firestone fiasco.

The phase in starts officially in '06, to be complete by '08:
<http://www.citizen.org/autosafety/nhtsa/tread/tpms/index.cfm>

I'm pretty sure anything sold as a truck or SUV has to have them towards
the '06 end of the scale. The current Outback was classified a truck /
SUV by the US Gov't in 2004. This happened after Subie raised the ride
height to enter the class, which has lower EPA fuel economy standards
than cars.

 

[Edward Hayes]

Yes it is a Government mandate that started with the Ford fiasco.

 

[R. Gerard]

My bad. I stand corrected. bob

Yes it is a Government mandate that started with the Ford fiasco.

 

[Karen in AZ]

Bob, I have an 06 Tribeca with the similar TPMS. The owner's manual
says it's for "low tire pressure", and it does not mention "high". The
warning light supposedly comes on when the pressure get down to around
27 psi or lower, and will go off when it comes back up to around 30.
Nothing I can find says anything about high readings.

I have read, however, that this system is somewhat tempermental and has
a couple of known "issues". Have the dealer check it out.

I know that when I was in Montana this summer, one cool morning I got
in to drive and the light came on. After driving a little way, I
checked all 4 tires and found one that was a little low but had already
come back up. By the time I got to town and the gas station, the light
had gone back off. I readjusted the psi and never had any more
troubles, so I guess it did exactly what it was supposed to.

-Karen-