It’s Not a Faulty Sensor — It’s Physics
Every fall, we get the same wave of customers convinced their TPMS sensor is broken because the warning light keeps popping on. In almost every case, the sensor is working exactly as designed. Tire pressure drops roughly 1 PSI for every 10-degree drop in temperature, and Southwest Missouri can swing 30+ degrees between a warm afternoon and a cold morning in October and November. That swing alone is often enough to trip the low-pressure warning, especially on tires that were already a few PSI low going into fall.
Why This Matters More Than It Seems
Underinflated tires wear unevenly, reduce fuel economy, and — most importantly on the hilly, curving roads around Branson and Ozark — reduce handling and braking performance exactly when road conditions are already getting worse for the season. A tire that’s 5 PSI low doesn’t look visibly flat, but it changes how the vehicle responds in an emergency stop or a sharp curve.
Pothole Season Compounds It
Once freeze-thaw cycles start hitting Springfield-area roads in late winter, potholes multiply, and a hard pothole impact can cause a slow leak or bend a wheel enough to cause a persistent pressure loss, a second, unrelated reason the TPMS light stays on through late winter and early spring.
What We Recommend
- Check tire pressure monthly through fall and winter, not just when the light comes on — the temperature swings that trip the sensor happen gradually, and by the time the light’s on, you’re often already 4-5 PSI low
- Set pressure to the number on your door jamb sticker, not the number on the tire sidewall — those are different numbers for different purposes
- After hitting a significant pothole, check pressure within a day or two even if the tire looks fine
- If the light won’t clear after a proper inflation, that’s when it’s worth having us actually check the sensor rather than assuming it’s just seasonal
We check and reset TPMS as a standard part of every tire service at all six Mitchem Tire locations. Call (417) 882-3100 or schedule a tire pressure check.