Tire Pressure Monitors Required on 2006 Models

[GeaugaFletcher]

ABS is a response to most people's natural reaction to an alarming situation that calls for the brakes. Ever see the Blues Brothers, the part where Elwood comes up on a highway overpass that isn't completed? He stands on the brake with both feet. ABS helps those people stop better. It also helps all four wheels keep traction when Elwood is trying to steer and brake HARD at the same time - and that's the real benefit of it for most people.

That said, I hate drive by wire and I hate the idea of tire pressure monitors, goddang. My Miata doesn't have ABS either, and I've always been happy with 'educated' driving and threshold braking. Most people don't spend any time whatsoever learning how to drive well when they're in a tough spot, so if you even just start thinking about it, you're ahead.

I think we're getting to the point where 'safety devices' are just encouraging complacent, lazy behaviors - tire pressure monitors are really the first truly useless safety innovation, IMHO.

 

[geeeman]

Anybody ever get a nail or screw in their tire?

EVERYONE !! has at some point, and in these situations on board monitoring systems could be VERY helpful. The slow to medium leak would be very noticeable IF you had a big orange light glowing on your dash (hopefully, at least...) Lets not be too negative...those who never check their tires will probably ignore the light for days or weeks at a time anyway...the rest of us might benefit from not trashing a tire...or worse, simply because we picked up a nail earlier in the day.

There is some benefit to the proposed plan, but it would be nice if it was optional...

 

[Lumberg]

quote:

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Originally posted by moribundman:
I just KNOW that tire pressure monitors will make drivers more negligible.

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Sorry but thinking about the meaning of this statement cracks me up.

Did you perhaps mean "negligent?"

 

[robbobster]

Just more nanny-ing for those who refuse to take responsibility for their own actions, or lack thereof, as it relates to actually lifting a finger to maintain a 4,000-lb chunk of high-speed steel.

If folks would just put 1/10th of the energy they use to fix their hair in the mornings and divert it into maintaining their car, the roads would be a lot safer.

But that would require that dreaded "R" word - responsibility.

 

[ekincam]

The pressure monitors won't help if people just ignore them. I've known a person who have drove their car around with the brake light on (low brake fluid), the check engine light (misfire due to ancient spark plugs and wires), the battery light (failing alternator), and oil light (12,000 mi no without an oil change and only 2 qt drained out even though it takes 4 qts) before (not all at the same time). They kept driving the car for weeks in hopes that it would go away before asking someone about it. This guy even drove around with no brake pads on one of the front calipers and thought the noise was normal! The brake pad had worn down to nothing and the piston was grinding against the rotor at this point, nevermind the glowing red brake disc. He also had two of his tires down to 14 PSI at one point and the other two were no better at 23 & 25 PSI (30 PSI reccommended). Eventually he let his tires wear so much that one of them started throwing sparks.

I'm sure this guy is not alone in his doings and like others, the warnings will be ignored for some time. So even with all the warnings, they are useless if people don't care about them. They probably will eventually just disconnect the bulb and not worry about the thing any more.

 

[Tosh]

Out in the land of the unwashed masses, things automotive get neglected, and when that happens, it affects our own safety as well. But since a politician would never dream of criticizing (or educating) a constituent, we get airbags and tire monitors (and coming soon, tire expiration dates). That is what 'public transportation' has come to mean in the US.

I rarely ever rent a car, but on those few times that I have, the tire pressures have been way off: one exciting example was an Escort with 50 and 52 front, 20 and 22 rear. Then more typically, 16, 16, 18, 20. When the rental companies can't even be bothered, why would Joe Blow? So I say, bring on the monitors.
Also bring on monitors to warn of blinkers left on, burned out bulbs, low washer fluid (required in Canada), turn on lights when it rains, shift up, and tired eyelids. Also, step on brake when shifting out of park. Honorable mention for the Celica beeping when you're in reverse, but on the INSIDE. But it's been worse: remember the automatic shoulder belt years? How many decapitations did it take before airbags became standard?

But it illustrates how progress happens here: a big public stink about something (Audi or Ford Explorer) leads to a knee-jerk reaction by lobby-influenced politicians competing to out-safety each other, without identifying the real cause, ie operator error....
The only real solution to low air pressure is no air pressure:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=44;t=000163

 

[Mitch Alsup]

quote:

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The only problem I "see" with monitors is, if one is to use them effectively, one needs an adequate and easily available source of pressurized air. It ain't like thirty-five years ago when service stations were on every corner (since steadily driven out of business by the reformed Standard Oil/Federal Government collusion); and what few sources there are require money to use. Anyone have anything good to say about water-filled lines, badly-maintained hoses and short filling times?

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I have a $12 air pump in all of my 4 vehicles. Weight 1 pound, use, plug into ciggarette lighter, and onto tire.

Certainly the cost of an air pump is VASTLY cheaper than monitors, but even with monotrs, the driving idiot still has to put air in the tires, at least mandate that cars have to have an air pump in addition to the monitors.

Note: on the Hummer (first version) there was an option for continuous filling of the tires with air (batman batcar-like).

 

[rpn453]

I don't think they'd be that bad. Mass-produced, they're probably pretty cheap, and at least they would be somewhat useful. They'd just be another thing, like airbags, that I wouldn't bother fixing if they stopped working. I guess they'd probably only work in the summer though, since I definitely wouldn't pay extra to put them on my winter wheels!
Airbags, on the other hand, are both useless and expensive. I'd definitely like to be able to buy a car without those. My buddy actually crashed a rental car because the airbag went off unexpectedly! Yet when I was on the receiving end of a 70mph head-on in which the cars ended up within 30ft of each other (this was no glancing blow!), an airbag would have done nothing for me.

 

[Jonny Z]

I have an air compressor in the trunk and a pressure gauge in the center console. I check my tires once a month and before long trips. But I would like the monitor. There are times I am on a long trip, the car handles a little funny, and I am wondering, did I hit a nail and one of the tires lost air, or it is just too much side wind blowing by? A monitor will take out the guess work.

 

[JavaMan]

As much as I pay for my tires they shouldn't lose air in the first place. It's the tire companies fault.

 

[CapriRacer]

It's unfortunate, but we can't change the laws of Physics - Rubber can not be made 100% airtight.

Plus a major source of air loss is between the rim and the tire - another problem that can't seem to be completely eliminated.

But more importantly - a puncture is the most common reason for a tire disablement. Warning the driver he is losing air will help prevent future tragedy.

 

[srivett]

Hopefully you'll be able to calibrate the sensors to whatever pressure you prefer (above a minimum of say 25 PSI). I'm always trying out different pressures.

It's a pain in the butt to have to check the tire pressure on my bike all the time so they should be included too. They now have a neat feature where they kill the engine if you put the bike into gear with the kickstand down! I know its your responsibility to put up the kickstand but I am willing to admit I screwed up and have the bike stall instead of crashing and then admitting I screwed up.

Steve

 

[srivett]

Here's a DIY motorcycle tire pressure kit. It costs 190 and works with tubeless tires.

Steve

http://www.smartire.com/products/motorcycles/
http://www.vulcantire.com/smartire_mc_sys.htm