How to Reset the Tire Pressure Indicator in a 2004 Jeep Cherokee Limited

Monitoring tire pressure is key in your safety and the longevity of your vehicle's tires.

Tire pressure was once something that nearly all gas stations checked every time you stopped into the “Full Service” lane. Now with “Full Service” gas stations becoming a thing of the past, drivers are now stuck with the burden of checking tire pressure. In 2007, a law passed requiring all vehicles manufactured after September 2007 to come standard with a tire pressure monitoring system to alert drivers of low tire pressure. Jeep offered this TPMS as an option on its 2004 Grand Cherokee Limited, and resetting the tire pressure indicator is not much more difficult than checking and topping off your tires.

Things You'll Need

• Compressed air source with a tire inflation attachment
• Tire pressure gauge

Instructions

1. 

   No need for icicles, but cold tires give you the best base level pressure.

   Allow your vehicle to sit for up to three hours, if it was recently driven, as time permits – this allows your vehicle’s tires to cool to get the most accurate pressure readings. If you do not have time to allow the tires to cool, plan on readjusting them at a more convenient time. Park your Grand Cherokee near a compressed air source with a tire inflation attachment.

2. 

   No matter how fancy you wheels are, there is a valve stem.

   Unscrew the cap from the driver front wheel’s valve stem, the valve protruding from the rim.

3. 

   Most tire pressure gauges have a stick that shows you the pressure.

   Press and hold the top of the tire pressure gauge onto the top of the valve stem firmly and watch as the pressure gauge displays the tire’s internal pressure rating. Read the pressure rating on the pressure gauge. If the pressure reading is between 31 and 35 psi when the tire is cold, or between 33 and 45 psi when the tire is hot, the pressure is OK.

4. 

   Always check the pressure on all of your vehicle's tires.

   Repeat Steps 2 and 3 on all four tires if your Jeep has a standard tire pressure monitoring system or five tires, including the spare tire, if your Jeep is equipped with a five-tire pressure monitoring system. Make a note of what tires are not within the pressure thresholds specified in Step 3.

5. 

   Press the tire inflation attachment firmly to keep a smooth flow of air into the tire.

   Adjust the tire pressure by adding or removing air from the tires not within the pressure threshold. Add air by pressing and holding the tire inflation attachment onto the end of the valve stem until the tire reaches the cold pressure threshold, a good rule of thumb is for every five seconds of adding air, the tire increases about 1 psi. To remove air, use the protrusion on the head of the tire pressure gauge to press the button on the top of the valve stem. Hold the button until you reach the desired pressure, using the rule of thumb that five seconds of deflation equals about 1 psi.

6. 

   Double check the pressure on all four tires after adjusting the pressure.

   Recheck the air pressure in all four tires, using the tire pressure gauge and readjust the tire pressures as needed.

7. 

   Back on the open road, safely.

   Drive the SUV to an open road and drive it as you normally would. The tire pressure indicator will automatically reset within five miles. If it does not reset automatically, press the “Reset” button in the overhead console display to reset it manually. If the indicator returns, recheck the tire pressure and adjust it as needed. If the pressure is correct and the indicator still displays, there may be a problem with the TPMS -- have it evaluated by a professional.

Tips & Warnings

• If you inflated your tires to the cold pressure threshold while they were hot, you may encounter a low tire pressure indicator when driving with cold tires. Readjust the tire pressure when they are cold as soon as it is convenient.

• Never inflate your tires to the “Max PSI” listed on the sidewall of the tire; always use the pressure specified for your vehicle. The “MAX PSI” rating is the most that the tires can handle safely and may cause your Cherokee to handle poorly.

References

• My Jeep: Download an Owner Manual
• Tire Industry Association: Making Time for TPMS