Did you know that the first vehicle in America to feature a Tire Pressure Monitoring System was actually the 1997 Chevy Corvette? 10 years after that it became a mandatory technology in the American automotive industry, and now it’s an invaluable tool to help you make sure your tires are operating at the right air pressure. But if the TPMS warning light pops up on the dashboard of your Chevy Equinox, you might get a little alarmed.
This light simply means that one or more of your tires are likely underinflated. If you have the means to inflate your tire from home you can do so, otherwise you can bring your vehicle someplace where you can take care of it yourself, or that will do it for you. However, once you’ve addressed the issue, the light won’t necessarily go away. Today we’re going to walk you through how to reset the TPMS on a Chevy Equinox, so you can get back on the road confident that your system is working and your tires are properly inflated.
What Is TPMS and Why Does It Matter?
We’ve already alluded to what TPMS does, but before we tell you how to reset it we thought we should dive into a more thorough explanation of what exactly it is and why it matters. Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System does exactly what it says — it uses sensors located inside each of your tires to monitor their air pressure in real time. If the pressure inside one of your tires drops below the recommended threshold, the system will trigger that aforementioned warning light to let you know.
So, why does that matter? What does that really help you with? Keeping your tires properly inflated isn’t just an arbitrary suggestion, so the alert is able to help you avoid many tire-related issues. These include things like subpar fuel economy, uneven tread wear and, potentially, even blowouts. This is why it’s also important to reset your TPMS system whenever necessary, which includes after any of the following:
- Inflating, deflating tires
- Tire rotation
- Tire replacement
- TPMS sensor replacement
- Seasonal temperature changes
Step-by-Step System Reset Process
Not every Chevy Equinox will work exactly the same way, as the TPMS and how it works has obviously changed and improved through the years. But the following is a general guide that should give you a solid idea of how to reset the system in your Equinox that was built from 2008 to present.
- Check Tire Pressure
- The first thing you need to do before actually resetting anything is make sure that all four of your tires are properly inflated to the recommended PSI. You can find this recommendation on the sticker just inside your door frame.
- Turn the Ignition to On
- There’s an important distinction here. You don’t want to turn your engine on, just the ignition, which means turning your key to the “On” position or pressing your push-to-start button without pressing the brake. This makes sure your Equinox’s electrical system is powered without engaging the engine.
- Find Reset Button
- There is an actual TPMS Reset button that you’ll need to find. Its exact location can vary, but it should be located near the dashboard or just beneath your steering wheel. If you can’t seem to find it, you should consult your owner’s manual, as it should be able to tell you exactly where it is.
- Press & Hold
- Once you’ve found the reset button, you just have to press and hold it until that TPMS warning light blinks three times. It could take up to 10 seconds for this to happen, but once it does so you can release the button.
- Start the Engine
- Now it’s time to start your engine, and you’ll need to let it run for about 20 minutes so that the system has time to recalibrate and relearn the tire pressure data. You can leave the vehicle parked during this time, or feel free to run some errands or go about your business, driving won’t affect the process.
- Drive to Confirm
- In fact, driving can actually help to recalibrate the system more properly, and the final step is just to take at least a short drive of around 10 minutes, during which you should hit speeds above 50 miles per hour. This helps the sensors fully sync with the system, and you’ll know the reset was successful once your warning light turns off.
If you’ve run into any issues or have any further questions regarding the process of resetting your TPMS, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right here at Jim Glover Chevrolet. We’d be happy to help!