My car has a tire pressure sensor system built into the dash display and it’s a feature I really like – it’s nice to be able to just check the PSI on all tires right in the drivers seat. It’s how I learned that the front right tire is consistently 1-2 PSI lower than the rest, and I figured out why – that tire sits in the shadiest spot in the carport where the car is parked.

So, I had an OH SHIT moment when I turned on the car this morning and got a DANGER WILL ROBINSON, LOW TIRE PRESSURE alert. Then I took a deep breath and thought about it for a moment – lows in the 40s last night – looked at the tire display – front right at 29 PSI, the rest at 30/31. OK, not a flat, probably not even a slow leak, just the shady tire and a chilly night. Figured 30 PSI must be the trigger.

Picked up the coffee and went to put gas in the car – shady tire up to 30 from driving, the rest at 31/32. OK, good, but the alert hasn’t turned off, and the gas station in question had no working air machine. Normally I get the car washed when I fill it up, but my brain was way too “Must. Deal. With. Tire. Pressure” for that. So off to another station with air just to get all four even.

Get to next station, get change for air machine because of course it’s 50 cents and I have no quarters. Then have to ask a kind gentleman who was using the machine ahead of me if he could get the damn valve cap off – it even took him some time, so I didn’t feel bad that it was stubborn for me.

By now, three tires were at 32, and I got the remaining one up to 32 as well – and boy did my brain love that symmetry!! AND – the car can sense when you’ve actually put air in the tire and the alert turned off!!

So, I drove home feeling very relieved and generally pleased with myself and of course I had to check the display again when I pulled into the driveway.

OH, COME ON, IT WAS PERFECT NOT EVEN 10 MINUTES EARLIER!

But I’ll certainly take shady tire going from 32 to 33 after a bit of driving than going from 32 back to 29. BUT STILL, I HAD THEM ALL EVEN.