Easy-Fill Tire Alert informs drivers exactly which tire is low on air

It then uses the Altima’s hazard lights and horn to indicate when a tire is full

The new Altima will be the first vehicle in its segment to use the system



When the fully redesigned 2013 Nissan Altima goes on sale early this summer, it will include one new convenience item that’s likely to surprise buyers. Dubbed Easy-Fill Tire Alert, the sedan’s tire pressure monitoring system informs drivers when a tire is low on air and then uses the sedan’s horn and hazard lights to confirm that the tire has been filled adequately.

According to Nissan, the convenience of the Easy-Fill Tire Alert starts with the Altima’s tire pressure monitoring system. That’s because the system not only alerts drivers when a tire is low on air but announces exactly which tire is affected, eliminating the guesswork associated with most in-car tire pressure alert systems.

But Easy-Fill Tire Alert’s most unique features come once a driver starts filling up a low tire with air. According to Nissan, the system confirms air is going into the affected tire by flashing the sedan’s hazard lights. Once the tire has reached its correct pressure, the Altima honks its horn, confirming that the tire is ready to continue driving on. That solves the problem of how to know when to stop filling a tire, a process that usually involves using a tire pressure gauge or repeatedly checking a car’s tire pressure warning light. Owners who overfill an affected tire will be met by hazard lights flashing faster than normal, providing a visual cue to stop pumping air.

Easy-Fill Tire Alert is new to the Altima, although Nissan currently uses the system in several other models, including its Quest minivan and the luxurious QX56 from its upscale Infiniti brand. Nissan is currently the only automaker to use the system.

The first examples of Nissan’s freshly redesigned, fifth-generation Altima recently rolled off the automaker’s Smyrna assembly line in Tennessee. Nissan says the sedan, which goes on sale June 26, will feature a standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine or an available 3.5-liter V6. A version with a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain is expected to follow closely behind.

What it means to you: The addition of Easy-Fill Tire Alert removes much of the stress that’s normally associated with refilling tires.