Drivers told never ignore 'dicey' car warning light

Drivers should never hesitate to take their car in for a check if they see one particular warning light on the dashboard, especially during the upcoming winter months, which can cause hazardous conditions on the roads. People have been reminded about how common it is for this issue to make even the most well-looked-after cars a risk to others on the road.

The tyre pressure light can appear on the dashboard at any point, and drivers should make it a priority to fix the issue as soon as possible or risk putting themselves in a dicey situation. The light could come on for several reasons, such as a puncture or damage to the tyre, but it's normal for a perfectly intact tyre to slowly lose pressure on its own during the cold winter months.

In most common cases, a simple inflation is the only fix drivers need. This doesn't involve an expensive trip to the garage and often costs just a few pounds at a petrol station.

Poorly maintained tyres not only put yourself and your passengers at risk, but also other road users and pedestrians too. Ignoring the warning could lead to a serious issue, such as a breakdown or traffic accident.

When the tyre pressure warning light turns on, it's a significant issue for your safety, and you shouldn't dismiss it. If the weather conditions are wintry, you need to act especially fast and look for a safe spot to pull over and check your tyres. Driving with low tyre pressure can make it harder to control your car, raise the chances of a blowout, and even harm your tyres and rims.

People might not immediately know what the symbol looks like - and the warning light doesn't really give people the best clue about what problem it's trying to flag. Some would likely think that a tyre-shaped light would be what manufacturers add to the dashboard - but it's not.

People relying on symbols alone should look out for an exclamation mark inside a horseshoe shape, which has notches missing from the bottom. At first, the symbol will be amber/yellow when a problem is first detected and, if ignored, could turn red to signal a serious problem.

The simple answer is no; drivers should not attempt to drive normally when this light appears on the dashboard. According to the RAC, motorists should stop as soon as it is safe to do so and carry out a check of their tyres to pinpoint which could be causing the issue.

A spokesperson said: "Low tyre pressure can cause unsafe driving conditions. Reduce your speed and try to avoid braking suddenly or making any violent steering manoeuvres.

"Most petrol stations and garages will have an air compressor you can use to check your tyre pressure. Top up the air in the tyres according to the vehicle manufacturer's specification in your owner's manual."

Tyre pressure can fluctuate throughout the year, but it's much more common to encounter issues in the winter. Even the most diligent of vehicle owners cannot stop what happens, as the problem is down to science.

Put simply, the air inside your tyres contracts when the temperature outside is cold. This natural process reduces the volume of air inside the tyre, causing a drop in pressure.

According to Continental Tyres, for every 10°C drop in temperature, a tyre's air pressure drops by approximately 1−2 PSI. This might not seem like a lot, but it can quickly become an issue over the course of the winter months, as cold weather in the UK typically lasts from mid-October until late February.

The correct tyre pressure level will be different from vehicle to vehicle. Kwik Fit has a free online tool that checks the average PSI level of a vehicle's front and rear tyres, using the registration plate to find the vehicle's make, model, and age.