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If you have recently started driving your car, there are high chances that you don’t know a lot of terms related to your vehicle, and SVC Tire Monitor might be one of them. But don’t fret; we are here to help you out in this matter.
SVC tire monitor is one of your car’s most crucial monitoring systems. If you don’t want to be left alone on the road with no air pressure in the tires, this monitor will be your best friend. Using different sensors across the tires keeps track of the pressure in the tires and lets you know if the pressure is declining and if there is a need to check it.
We have compiled an extensive guide for you explaining the meaning of the SVC Tire monitor. We will also take you through some of the reasons that compel the SVC Tire Monitor light to go on, along with some fixes for the same.
What Is the Meaning of SVC Tire Monitor?
The SVC Tire monitor, or STMS, is a monitoring system that comes in various modern vehicles and is meant to monitor and help users maintain the right tire inflation. This monitoring system uses various sensors all across the tires to measure the pressure of the air inside them.
Once the air pressure is measured, and the data is collected, this data is then sent to the display unit present in the vehicle. The vehicle display will alert the driver if the air pressure inside any of the four tires isn’t sufficient.
This alert is provided through the SVC tire monitor indicator light that illuminates your car’s dashboard if any of the tire’s pressure isn’t sufficient. Generally, this indicator light turns on for a few seconds after detecting low air pressure in any of the four tires.
However, if it reminds on after a few minutes, you need to take immediate action as this usually points towards a serious issue.
As far as the sensors that help the STMS monitor and measure the air pressure inside the tires are concerned, they are generally located inside the tire and are usually attached to its rim.
To learn more about the SVC tire monitor, check out this YouTube video:
Why Is the SVC Tire Monitor Warning Light On?
Though the primary reason for you to see the SVC tire monitor warning light is the low air pressure in any of your vehicle’s four tires, this is not the only reason this warning light illuminates.
A wide range of reasons compels the SVC tire monitor warning light to flash on your dashboard. Below, we have enlisted some of the leading causes of the SVC light flashing on your vehicle.
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Battery Problems
One of the leading reasons you see the SVC tire monitor warning light flashing on the dashboard is your car’s weak battery. As we have discussed before, the STMS uses sensors to keep track of the air pressure in the tires.
Once these sensors detect the tire pressure, they send a signal to the STMS module. If the signal received by the module isn’t strong enough, the warning light flashes on the dashboard.
The signal’s strength can easily be measured using a multimeter, and if you find it less than 9 volts, it would mean that your car’s battery is problematic.
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An issue with the Sensors
Another reason the warning light flashes on the dashboard is an issue with the sensors. As the whole working of the STMS relies on the sensors that mainly monitor the air pressure inside the tires and send the signal to the module, there is no point in relying on this monitoring system if the sensors aren’t working properly.
For instance, if one of the sensors is not working properly, it won’t be able to detect the air pressure right, and eventually, the reading sent to the module wouldn’t be accurate. In most cases, faulty sensors detect readings that are way less than the actual pressure in the tires.
Owing to this, the ultimate result of the monitoring system is affected, which is why you could see the warning light flashing on your vehicle’s dashboard.
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Low Air Pressure in the Tires
This is the leading cause behind the SVC tire monitor warning light turning on, which is what the name also suggests. If you haven’t got the pressure of your vehicle’s tires checked for a long time and have been driving tirelessly for the past few days, there is a high chance that you are driving with deflated tires.
This isn’t just harmful to the tire’s life but can also lead to severe accidents. The SVC tire monitor uses tire sensors to detect the pressure inside the tires and informs you of any low air pressures in any of the four tires.
To do so, the monitoring system uses the SVC warning light that turns on for an instant to inform you of the deflated tires and immediately turns off. So, if you see the light flashing for a minute, rest assured that the pressure in any of the four tires isn’t enough.
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A large Number of Potholes
Another thing that the flashing SVC tire monitor warning light indicates is an upcoming pothole on the road. Unlike other negligible sensors on your vehicle that are meant to detect minute problems with your car, the tire monitoring sensors are too sensitive and advanced.
They don’t just keep you safe on the road but keep you informed of deflated tires and save you from any inconvenience on the road. If you have been driving for the past few years, one thing you must hate the most is the potholes on the roads.
Thanks to the SVC tire monitoring system’s warning light, using the tire sensors, this monitoring system easily detects any potholes you are approaching on the road and immediately turn on the warning light to inform you of the same.
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Tire Pressure Sensor
If you have recently replaced the tire sensors on your car, as the previous ones were not working fine, you might see the warning light turning on. This generally happens when you don’t program the newly installed sensors and haven’t reset the previous ones to work according to the new ones.
Owing to this, the sensors can’t figure out how to detect the air pressure and fail to work in coordination with each other which is one you might see the warning light illuminating the dashboard.
Fixing the SVC Tire Monitor Message
Now that you have looked at all the possible causes for the SVC Tire monitor warning light flashing on your vehicle’s dashboard, you are all ready to move to the next step where we will provide you with some methods you can use to turn off the light.
Method #1: Maintaining the Air Pressure in Tires
As the leading cause of the SVC warning light’s appearance on your dashboard is the improper air pressure in the tires, this is the first thing you need to fix to turn off the warning light.
If this is your first time seeing the SVC monitor warning light flashing on your dashboard, you would probably think that the light is flashing because of deflated tires. But unlike what you think, this is not always the case.
Not just deflated tires but overly inflated tires can be problematic too, which is why, if you want to fix the warning light and prevent it from flashing on the dashboard, you need to maintain the air pressure in the tires.
Fortunately, along with letting you know that the problem is with the air pressure in the tires, this system also provides you with a reading. Keeping the numbers in mind, take the necessary action, i.e., inflate or deflate the tires to turn off the warning light.
In the case of overly inflated tires, you can see this YouTube tutorial to find out how to let the air out of your car’s tires.
Method #2: Noticing Other Warning Lights
Like the master warning light, where you can see some other warning light flashing on the dashboard too, sometimes the SVC tire monitor warning light is also accompanied by another warning light.
If your tire monitor’s warning light has been flashing for a long time, this could be an indication of a severe problem with your vehicle. In this case, it’s best to notice the dashboard carefully for another warning light and take the necessary action accordingly.
Method #3: Resetting the Tire Pressure Light
On inflating or deflating the tires as per Method 1, the warning light generally turns off on its own. But if this hasn’t happened, you have to reset the light manually.
Here are some methods you can follow for this:
- Drive your car at a steady speed of 50mph for around ten minutes.
- Once you pull out, you will see the warning light resetting on its own.
Another method you can use for the same purpose is as follows:
- Turn the car’s key in the ignition slot towards the ON button but don’t start the car.
- If you see a TPMS reset button under your car’s steering wheel, press it thrice.
- Now, start the car and drive it steadily for around twenty minutes to see if the warning light has finally turned off.
You can also follow these steps to reset the warning light manually.
- Put air in the tires more than the recommended air pressure
- Now, let the air go out of the tires.
- Repeat the same process with the spare tire, as it might feature the sensors too.
- Once you have deflated the tires, inflate them again, but keep the recommended air pressure in mind this time.
You can check out this YouTube tutorial to learn more about resetting the tire pressure light.
Method #4: Replacing the Senors
If the problem-causing agent is the sensors, the best thing you can do to fix the SVC tire monitoring system’s warning light turn-off is to replace the tire sensors.
Although you can replace the sensors on your own but if you are not sure, you can contact a professional to do this for you.
Regardless, here is a YouTube tutorial you can follow to learn how to replace the tire sensors on your vehicle.
Method #5: Seek Professional Help
If none of the above methods has helped you fix the SVC tire monitor warning light, you will be left with no other option but to seek professional help. Just visit any nearby garage and get the light checked.
What are the Benefits of the SVC Tire Monitoring System?
Like other monitoring systems in your vehicle that measure different vehicle conditions and parameters, the SVC tire monitoring system also comes with many benefits. Here is a list of some of the primary advantages this monitoring system features:
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Fuel Economy
One of the main benefits of SVC tire monitoring is the fuel economy it offers. If your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated, the resistance they offer against the road will be much less. Eventually, you will need less energy to move the vehicle, which ultimately cuts down on fuel costs to a greater extent.
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Durability
Another advantage that the SVC tire monitoring system comes with is the durability it offers to your tires. Thanks to this monitoring system, you can check the air pressure inside your tires, which allows you to inflate them.
This way, you won’t have to replace your car’s tires too often, as inflated tires last much longer than deflated tires. You can also save a huge amount on replacement costs due to this.
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High Speed
Properly inflated tires will make you cover long distances in a relatively short period of this. This is because when the air pressure inside the tires is adequate, they can easily roll over the road. This way, properly inflated tires’ speed is much higher than poorly inflated ones.
So, if you are a fan of high-speed vehicles and want to move on the road without any speed blockages, you are going to love the SVC tire monitoring system.
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Fewer Accidents
Thanks to the exact air pressure value in your vehicle’s tires provided by the SVC tire monitoring system, you no longer have to move on the road based on your guesswork regarding the tire pressure.
This will not only help you prevent accidents as you know about the exact condition of your tires but provides you with better control of the vehicle controls.
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Incoming Vehicle Problems
As mentioned above, if the SVC tire monitoring system indicator light stays on for a long time, this is a clear indication of some serious problem with your vehicle. The SVC tire monitoring system, thus, keeps you informed of any incoming vehicle problems and provides you with a timely alert so you can take adequate action before the situation worsens.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have introduced you to the SVC tire monitoring system. We have also taken you through a list of reasons that could compel the SVC Tire monitor warning light to flash on your vehicle’s dashboard.
Lastly, we enlisted some of the fixes you can try to turn off the warning light if it has been flashing too long, along with some benefits of the SVC tire monitoring system. Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand the SVC tire monitoring system a lot better.
