For what it's worth, I am running nitrogen. Little green valve stem caps and all. It doesn't seem to help, maybe the altitude is the problem. All I know is that I hate the TPMS. I went to aftermarket wheels and put the factory sensors in the new wheels, which was another pain in the butt and another reason to not like them. On my F-150 I am also running nitrogen and it seems to be just fine in it, although I don't like the green caps. I guess all Big O stores (here locally anyway) only use Nitrogen.

 

It's probably a combination of altitude and temperature change. I know the last time we went to visit my brother-in-law and his wife in Grand Junction it was in the 90's from Denver and to the east. When we stopped at the rest area at Loveland Pass it felt like it was freezing out with only a 5500' altitude change. I think it was like a 25 degree temp change. It was the same way when we went up on the Mesa from Juntion. The temps were in the mid 90's in Junction and high 60"s on the Mesa. I just hope the aftermarket can help us get rid of those things.

 

Ryan, even without the DPF, catalytic converter and EGR valve, the newer diesels do not emit the soot and pollutants that the older ones do. Nox is still a little on the high side, but no soot. The coal burning power plants that we depend on for electricity are far more of a danger to health than diesel engines are in this time frame. I can't even remember the last time I was around a newer diesel engine and even smelled the diesel fumes, much less saw any smoke except when they were stone cold and just started up.

 

Dont see why you cant change the cap also ive seen some places use a small green O-ring around the stem right before the cap if you wanted it to still be known it is nitrogen without the ugly caps

 

I know 2 folks this year who have picked up debris (screws) in their tires and have been notified by the idiot light while going down the highway, one at night. they pulled off at an exit and were able to get to a well lit and safe place to change to the spare and continue their trip with no fuss. I believe this is the real reason for these lights, not to let you get away with never doing vehicle inspections... I could be wrong though.

 

I agree and understand, but once again if you can't feel a flat tire while driving then you shouldn't have passed the driving test to get a license in the first place.

I haven't changed the little green caps on my PSD, simply because it's a work truck and don't care to much. But it did chap my butt when I sent it to Big O with chrome caps and it came home with little "greenies"! My fault for sending it there with the wife, though.

 

I agree with MUSTANGTOBY on this one. My butt meter and hearing tells me if I have a low or flat tire. Since 70% of the licensed drivers shouldn't have ever gotten a license to drive it is what it is. But I still wish there was less Big Brother in our vehicles. And I resent being forced to pay more for the stupidity of others in both the price and maintenance of the vehicles that are forced on us. I take the time and make the effort to educate myself about things automotive for my own safety and benefit as well as others on the road and I still get penalized. That's what really gripes me. Same goes for household stuff. I only feel responsible for me and my family, not the whole world. If everyone felt like I do, stupidity would be kept to a minimum. It's called personal responsibilty. I think it died along about the same time common sense perished.

 

I call BS here.......you can't tell me you can hear or feel a tire 5lbs low.....but that could be low enough to cause a stability problem with a load on.....

 

I agree with you on the sensitivity of someones posterior.
The fact is I want the cellphone using, coffee drinking, cigarette smoking, ADD driver to have it brought to their attention that they are driving around on tires with the resilience of a marshmallow.
Actually I would like for the government to mandate that there be an audio alarm added to the system. Some sort of electroshock in the drivers seat also seems appropriate. If after the first 100 miles of the sensor being activated you do not return your tire to the correct pressure the audio alarm would trigger. A loud beeping starts and the radio would no longer function as anything other than a siren prompting the driver to turn his/her attention to the fact that one or more of the tires has reached a unsafe level of inflation. If after 500 miles of further motion the pressure is not restored the driver should receive a shock every time they touch the steering wheel.

 

Ryan, 5 lbs low probably not. But when it approaches 10 lbs low most definately. With a load I can tell 5lbs low if it's a rear tire. Not so much a front tire. I can feel a flat falling down drunk. But then again, I can tell when something doesn't sound right within a couple of blocks. And I definately know when it just doesn't feel right. When a tire starts approaching 10 lbs low stability just isn't as good, loaded or empty. When the ride seems much better than normal you know you have a or some low tires. You can also tell 5-10 lbs low visually if you are observant and are diligent about looking things over every time you get in to go. That's easy to learn and doesn't cost a cent.

 

So if I was to line up 10 vehicles, you would be able to tell which ones have low tires and appx how low by looking at the tire/driving the vehicle?

 

After I had baselined all 10 vehicles with proper inflation, yes. Just to jump in one like a rental vehicle, no way. I wouldn't be familiar with the set up. You can suspect a low or some low tires visually, but you really need to to know the baseline first. It's called being familiar with what you are driving. I can tell on my truck, my wife's car, and my beater because I drive them regularly and maintain them. Probably not someone else's vehicle without baselining it because I'm not familiar with what it should be with proper inflation.

 

I agree. My biggest complaint is with my PSD work truck. It is an 08 with 89,000 miles on it. I've been it since about christmas of 07. I put about 3,000 miles a month on it, and I can tell if I have a tire 10 psi low (and I run 75 psi in it, truck weighs over 10k). I put enough miles on it that I can tell when the air filter is starting to get dirty, just by the power starting to fall off. Same goes for my 06 F150 or my 69 Bronco, which is lifted 5.5" and riding on 35'' mud tires. Not to mention that I maintain my vehicles and check them out on a regular basis, just as everyone should. Not any different than checking your oil, a basic glance at the truck will tell you a lot before you even start it.

 

Yeah, I can feel when my rear diff fluid needs to be changed, and also my engine oil too. Also I can hear by the way my blinker sounds when a turn signal bulb is about to burn out. I kind of have ESP and can pick up on these things like eveyone else posting in this thread.

Mustangboy, if you properly maintained your vehicle your air filter would never get to the point that it starts to decrease performance.

GregB, the point to my question is that you do have to have a baseline in order to determine what a low tire feels/looks like for most vehicles. What happens if you are borrowing a buddies vehicle, wouldn't it be nice to know if you pick up a nail as you are driving it? What about an inexperienced driver (say a son/daughter) who doesn't know what a low tire feels like. The car is pulling on the highway, but they dont know what the signals mean and just pass it off as a crosswind. Finally they arrive at the destination with a flat and now destroyed tire. Isn't it much better if there is an advanced warning?

I am roughing you guys up a little bit. I mean the whole air filter thing is getting a little out there, but I would bet a person who spends alot of time in their vehicle would notice suddle changes. I would think that the air filter thing is more of a placebo effect (wow new air filter, feel the power!) but having a low tire, you notice that the truck pulling a little one way or another, then check your air pressure to find a tire low. I can understand that, but in the same sense I think it is a nice feature for alot of people to have.

Most people dont even care about their car, it doesnt always have to do with people being ignorant, there is no law that says you have to give 2 cents about how much air is in your tires, thats why they put the lights on the dash, to annoy the crap out of people so they get better fuel mileage and dont pose a safety hazard to others, think Ford Exploder.

Wow, long rant...

 

I love it