Very specific Subaru question

[Benny Profane]

I test drove an '09 Outback today, Certified Used thing just off lease, new tires, and the tire gauge light started blinking, and stayed on permanently by the time I parked it ten miles later. Tire pressure looked fine as I did a post inspection. Salesman laughed it off, of course, and actually tried to explain it off with the changing seasons (temperature changes). Otherwise, this is a solid car. New front brakes and rotors at 33,000 miles. Clean. Very clean. Good price. Very good price, very good warranty.

Any owners of Subarus with this tire pressure light issue? Do you see it much? Is it sensitive to lower pressures? Did it just come on because this thing was sitting for awhile and had a low tire I could't detect with the naked eye?

I'll be back to the dealer after the storm. This car may not even exist after Wednesday. You know, floods, falling trees..........

[tripice351]

A blinking TPMS light means there is a fault in the system (99% of the time its one of the sensors that go where the rubber valve stem is normally located). A low tire pressure would just turn the light on solid from the get-go, no blinking.

[Benny Profane]

Yeah, I figured it was a sensor issue. New tires, old sensors.....

Will be a nice bargaining chip in final negotiations. To me it's a sign that this car hasn't been driven much in a while, which is a good sign, too. I'm not competing with many.

[Supermoon]

Had the same issue for three years in my Impreza. Always would turn on at the start of the summer.

Dealership would have fixed it under warranty, but I don't need a light to tell me I have a flat.

[StopMakingSense]

The other flip side (I have an '09 Impreza) is that the TPMS stays off all Summer then when the temp begins to drop the air pressure actually deflates a bit due to the drop in temperature (simple science yeah?). I usually always have my TPMS on in the morning then when the tires warm up it turns off.

[AlpiNord]

We have an '09 Outback and the TPMS is way too moody and a continuous annoyance. Best balance to keep the damn thing off seems to be 2 psi more in the front (34) than rear (32).

[Max Archer]

TPMS can be BS, and not just with Subaru. I never got my old Civic's TMPS to stop coming on for no reason when it was cold out, and my GF's Fit is the same way. It's actually useful on my new Mazda2 at least - I have a slow-leaking tire (like .5psi a day) and TPMS tells me when it's time to fill the damn thing again.

[willmtbike4food]

My wife's 2010 Forester has only had the TPMS light come on once (and of course it was the blustery night of the coldest day we had of the year last winter...). Pulled over at next gas station, attempted making my fingers work in the cold with the iced-over air hose at the station, turned out all four tires were fine (as I expected them to be, I'd filled them only about a week prior). It was the spare under the trunk liner. The mickey mouse half-size tire is supposed to be inflated to 60psi. Was the first time I'd ever checked it. Easily accessible, but what a pain that night. Now, I just check it when I do the rest of our tires at home, and no problems since.

Great bargaining chip for ya.

[bfree]

Yeah it comes on every once in awhile, generally when it's cold out. Worries me enough to get out of the car and see if it's actually low, but it always checks out just fine and I throw some electrical tape over the light and call it good.

[Crampedon]

Check the spare. My Tundra has some kind of bluetooth transmitter on the valve stems and the light only comes on when the spare is soft. Does not blink though....

[alpineadventure]

This happened in my 09 impreza obs, replaced the tpms sensor and it went away. Worth a shot. Definitely IMO not a reason to not get a car though.

[sb]

Is it white, sniff the seats?

Used lesbianmoblie. They can be hard on the carpet but the tires should be good.

[WestCoastPDR]

Subaru CPO may not cover the TPMS sensor so you might want to ask dealer for a list of coverd components on the CPO warranty. And tell them to fix it before you take delivery. The original new car warranty is most likely expired based on the fact that its an 09, but the CPO program will give you a 12/12 bumper to bumper warranty, but what the sales agent is not telling you is the fact that it is a LIMITED 12 month 12k Mile bumper to bumper warranty and does not cover everything..

Also Many times subaru will offer stupid low finance rates on their certified products so look into that as well to

[Benny Profane]

Haven't read the fine print yet, but, from what I understand, the warranty is very good. Basically, they extend the drivetrain to 7 yrs and 100,000, which gives me 3 1/2 years and 65,000. Bumper to bumper gets me a year or two extra, too.

[whyturn]

Agree with fix before taking delivery. It will go out again but that's in a year or two. My 08 etc never ha that but not sure it even has the TPMD

[Max Archer]

My wife's 2010 Forester has only had the TPMS light come on once (and of course it was the blustery night of the coldest day we had of the year last winter...). Pulled over at next gas station, attempted making my fingers work in the cold with the iced-over air hose at the station, turned out all four tires were fine (as I expected them to be, I'd filled them only about a week prior). It was the spare under the trunk liner. The mickey mouse half-size tire is supposed to be inflated to 60psi. Was the first time I'd ever checked it. Easily accessible, but what a pain that night. Now, I just check it when I do the rest of our tires at home, and no problems since.

Great bargaining chip for ya.

Holy crap there's active TPMS in the freaking spare? I wonder if Honda does that too and it's why the stupid light never goes off no matter what pressure the four on the ground are running.

[other1]

Holy crap there's active TPMS in the freaking spare? I wonder if Honda does that too and it's why the stupid light never goes off no matter what pressure the four on the ground are running.

Y'up, Toyota does too, my 4RUNNER has had that happen a few times.

My brother in law is dealing with this on his Tribeca right now, the dealer can't seem to get the TPMS light to stop coming on no matter what they do. Oh, and his roof rails came off the other day while on the road...... That thing doesn't appear to be built to the same quality that our family is used to with Subaru.

[milestogo]

I dont know if it is the same as my Toyota, but there is a reset button on my van. I was told that there is no real "pressure monitor" per se, but rather the computer reading that one wheel was rotating at a slightly different speed than the others.

[milton]

First cold day after summer and my light usually goes off (09 Impreza). Would be really helpful if it told you which tire is throwing the warning. I just top them all off and call it good.

A couple years ago I bought a second set of rims for snow tires. When I went to get it inspected (VT) the shop said technically they have to fail me for the TPMS light being on, but they gave me a pass. I've seen a few shops with a sign saying they were not responsible for breaking the sensor during a tire change over.

Ha, check the spare. Didn't think of that one, not sure if mine has the sensor.

[SkiBall]

I have an 08OB and it does have issues with temp changes. I do have a VERY slow leak in RR tire and light will come on after awhile. Fill it up and light goes off for awhile. Bought last spring and light was one all the time which heard happens alot and to ignore. Got winter tires put on last year and light went off and stayed off all winter til I swapped out again. I like the option in principle, I just don't know how much concern I put into it. Until I get a flat tire of course.

[uglymoney]

I googled real quick and found that for 08 Outbacks you can just unscrew the TPMS bulb when you pull the instrument cluster (five screws). I bought four snow tires for our new Prius V and quickly found a tpms disable post on the forums. Turns out it is a ten minute fix with a 1 cent wire to disable it. Screw tpms. It does nothing I can't do by kicking and visually inspecting my tires in addition to regular checks with a gauge.

[PNWbrit]

Did it just come on because this thing was sitting for awhile

Air probably sunk to the bottom of tire over time it just needed to get mixed around a bit by being driven.

Have you ever had an automobile experience that hasn't left you feeling the need to start a thread about it?

[Benny Profane]

Good, that sounds like a solution. Thanks. But, I'm still using it to bargain. Watch em squirm, I say.

[SkiBall]

Good, that sounds like a solution. Thanks. But, I'm still using it to bargain. Watch em squirm, I say.

Mine had issue too when I bought it but they just said they would fix it. They were fairly indifferent about it otherwise. I was getting a pretty good deal anyway.

[Max Archer]

I dont know if it is the same as my Toyota, but there is a reset button on my van. I was told that there is no real "pressure monitor" per se, but rather the computer reading that one wheel was rotating at a slightly different speed than the others.

Different manufacturers use different systems. Some use the wheel speed thing, but some actually measure the pressure. Mine on the Mazda will actually come on or go off without moving the car.