Few things make drivers more anxious than a mysterious light on the dash—especially one shaped like an exclamation point inside a tire. While it can be startling, this light is designed to keep you safe, not to ruin your day. At MB Clinic in Denver we see cars come in with this exact warning, and most of the time the solution is simpler than owners expect.
The exclamation mark inside a horseshoe shape (sort of like a flattened tire) is the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) alert. It likely means that one or more tires have lost pressure and are underinflated. Newer Mercedes models will also display an outline of a car and indicate which tire is underinflated. Driving with low tire pressure can reduce fuel economy, wear out tires faster, and even lead to a blowout. Pull over when safe, visually inspect the tires, and use a pressure gauge to confirm the readings. If you’re unsure, but the tire is not flat, swing by our shop—we’ll check and inflate them properly.
If the light stays on after topping up tire pressure, don’t ignore it. Warning lights are your car’s early-warning system. At MB Clinic our ASE-certified technicians can pinpoint the cause and get you safely back on the road (if you know that the tires are properly inflated, the tire pressure monitoring sensor might be faulty causing the false warning light to illuminate – but let our highly skilled technicians make that determination).
A dashboard light isn’t there to annoy you — it’s your car’s way of saying, “Hey, I need a little help”. If you’re in Denver, trust MB Clinic to keep your ride running smoothly. Call us to make an appointment. You can also make an appointment online if you prefer to do so.