Kia Optima: Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) / Changing a tire with TPMS

If you have a flat tire, the Low Tire Pressure telltale will come on. Have the flat tire repaired by an authorized Kia dealer as soon as possible or replace the flat tire with the spare tire.

CAUTION - Repair Agents

Never use a puncture-repairing agent not approved by Kia to repair and/or inflate a low pressure tire. The sealant not approved by Kia may damage the tire pressure sensor.

Each wheel is equipped with a tire pressure sensor mounted inside the tire behind the valve stem. You must use TPMS specific wheels. It is recommended that you always have your tires serviced by an authorized Kia dealer.

Even if you replace the low pressure tire with the spare tire, the Low Tire Pressure telltale will remain on until the low pressure tire is repaired and placed on the vehicle.

After you replace the low pressure tire with the spare tire, the TPMS malfunction indicator may illuminate after a few minutes because the TPMS sensor mounted on the spare wheel is not initiated.

Once the low pressure tire is inflated again to the recommended pressure and installed on the vehicle or the TPMS sensor mounted on the replaced spare wheel is initiated by an authorized Kia dealer, the TPMS malfunction indicator and the low tire pressure telltale will turn off within a few minutes of driving.

If the indicator has not disappeared after a few minutes of driving, please visit an authorized Kia dealer.

If an original mounted tire is replaced with the spare tire, the TPMS sensor on the replaced spare wheel should be initiated and the TPMS sensor on the original mounted wheel should be deactivated. If the TPMS sensor on the original mounted wheel located in the spare tire carrier still activates, the tire pressure monitoring system may not operate properly. Have the tire with TPMS serviced or replaced by an authorized Kia dealer.

You may not be able to identify a low tire by simply looking at it. Always use a good quality tire pressure gauge to measure the tire's inflation pressure. Please note that a tire that is hot (from being driven) will have a higher pressure measurement than a tire that is cold (from sitting stationary for at least 3 hours and driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) during that 3 hour period).

Allow the tire to cool before measuring the inflation pressure. Always be sure the tire is cold before inflating to the recommended pressure.

A cold tire means the vehicle has been sitting for 3 hours and driven for less than 1 mile (1.6 km) in that 3 hour period.

Never use tire sealant if your vehicle is equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The liquid sealant not approved by Kia may damage the tire pressure sensors.

• The TPMS cannot alert you to severe and sudden tire damage caused by external factors such as nails or road debris.
• If you feel any vehicle instability, immediately take your foot off the accelerator, apply the brakes gradually and with light force, and slowly move to a safe position off the road.

✽ NOTICE - Protecting TPMS

Tampering with, modifying, or disabling the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) components may interfere with the system's ability to warn the driver of low tire pressure conditions and/or TPMS malfunctions. Tampering with, modifying, or disabling the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) components may void the warranty for that portion of the vehicle.

This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s).

Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.