Aston Martin is announcing the recall of 169 V12 Vantage Coupes, built for model years 2010 to 2012. At issue is the programming of the cars’ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which won’t trigger a dashboard warning light until tire pressure drops to 69-percent of the specified cold inflation pressure.

The system should trigger a warning light when the cold inflation pressure decreases by 25-percent, not 31-percent. In the case of the V12 Vantage, a 31-percent drop would produce tire pressures of 25 PSI, which is 2 PSI below the minimal acceptable level for the car’s front tires.

Of the 169 North American cars affected by this recall notice, only 148 have been delivered to consumers. The 21 units in dealer inventory will be put on a sales hold until the correct TPMS software is uploaded.

Aston Martin will notify customers of the recall, and dealers will reprogram affected customer cars at no charge. While the manufacturer has not issued a timeline for the recall, we expect it will be completed quickly since few cars are affected and since no replacement parts are required.

Customers with questions or concerns can reach Aston Martin at (888) 923-9988, or they may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

The recall also serves as a good reminder for the rest of us: whether or not your vehicle is equipped with TPMS, it's a good idea to check inflation pressure (cold) every two weeks.