A quick overview note before we get to the details. When your TireMinder® alerts you of an abnormality, do not panic or get upset, it is only doing its job. You bought it to give you more information about your tires than you had before. Sooner or later it will need to tell you something, so don’t panic.
Most important when traveling the monitor must always be in the “M” mode. It should always show your tire positions. The screen should never be blank.
The TireMinder® TPMS monitors tire pressure & temperature in real time (about every 6 seconds). To save battery power, the REGULAR pressures and temperatures are updated on the monitor every 4 minutes if a change has occurred. Should a significant abnormality occur, the monitor will react within 6 seconds. There are multiple levels of alerts which vary in style & intensity depending on the severity of the abnormality. Alerts are activated whether moving or stationary.
Above all else folks, DO NOT PANIC! Also, the driver should never try to figure out what the problem is. Let your husband (or wife), co-pilot, navigator, partner, etc., look at the monitor and try to determine the cause of the alert. You should both study the following icons below so you will recognize them when you are “on the road.”
Rapid Air Loss (Blow Out)
If you have never seen this icon, simply loosen a transmitter. The below description will happen. Make a mental note of what it looks like. If convenient, why not do that right now, being sure to be parked first.
Condition: A tire loses 3 or more PSI in less than 2 minutes.
Alert Description:
- Audible “Beep” 15 times
- White LCD screen lights up
- Red LED flashes
- Tire position icon flashes
- “Blow Out” icon appears in lower left corner
- Pressure at top is less than normal
- Center “Pressure” icon flashes
Action Required:
- Confirm there is a blow out icon in the lower left corner.
- Press the center button on the monitor and note how much air is left in the tire. If you are running 110 PSI (normal) and the alert has come on at 95 PSI, you may decide to drive to the next rest stop.
- If the pressure drops significantly or more rapidly, cautiously bring the vehicle to a safe off-road location to check the offending tire.
Semi Rapid Air Loss
This warning would most often occur should you pick up a nail or sharp object puncturing the tire causing a semi-rapid air loss. This alert may also be activated due to a rapid drop in temperature causing a corresponding drop in pressure.
Condition: A tire loses 6 or more PSI in 2 to 10 minutes.
Alert Description:
- Intermittent “Beep Beep”
- Red LED flashes
- Tire position icon flashes
- 50% “Leaking” icon appears in lower left corner
- Pressure at top is less than normal
- Center “Pressure” icon flashes
Action Required: Same as above
Normal Pressure Loss
Condition A: Over a long period of time, pressure in a specific tire has dropped 15% below the “baseline” pressure you set up for this position. Example: You originally set up the system for this tire to contain 80 PSI. If pressure drops to 68 PSI (15% loss), the system will issue an alert.
Condition B: If a tire drops 25% to 50% below the set basic pressure, the Pressure alert will be the same as above except the Icon will show 50% full.
Condition C: If a tire drops below 50%, the Pressure icon will show empty.
Alert Description:
- Intermittent beep every 15 (fifteen) seconds for 5 (five) minutes.
- Tire position icon will flash and displays lower than normal pressure.
- Pressure icon (bottom center) will flash and show 75% full.
- To turn off the alert, press right or left button. If the abnormality is not corrected, the alert will re-activate after 1 (one) hour.
Action Required: Stop at the next rest area and check the offending tire with a gauge.
High Temperature Warnings 1 & 2
Condition A: Internal temperature of tire exceeds 167° F / 75° C
Condition B: Temperate exceeds 185° F / 85° C
Alert Description A:
- Intermittent “Beep”
- Red LED & “Temp” Icon will flash
- Exact digital temperature is displayed
- Tire position icon will flash
- Note: To de-activate alarm – press right or left button
Alert Description B:
- Constant “Beep Beep”
- Others same as Condition A
Action Required: Obviously under either condition you need to cautiously “get off the road” & determine the cause of the overheating. In most cases, this will be due to a brake caliper that is sticking or a bearing which has overheated.
High Pressure Alert
Condition: A tire's pressure rises 20% above the baseline pressure you had set for that position. Example, if the baseline in the position is 80 PSI, the alert would sound if the pressure reached 96 PSI (20% up).
Alert Description:
- Intermittent “Beep Beep” with Red LED
- Problem Tire position icon flashes
- Pressure is higher than normal
- Tire Pressure icon flashes showing an extra outside ring
- To silence alarm press right or left button
- Alert will re-activate after 1 (one) hour unless condition is corrected
Action Required: Cautiously bring the vehicle to a stop and check the offending tire. If the high pressure is “within reason” you may need to adjust your baseline pressures. If you're not sure what to do, call us!