Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

 

What is TPMS? 


All vehicles approved as of November 2012 are now equipped with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, or TPMS. This equipment is designed to constantly monitor the pressure of your tyres, therefore alerting the driver, should tyre pressure begin to drop.

The system is a brilliant advancement in terms of safety as it alerts you in real time when your tyre pressure drops, indicating that you may have had a puncture or a tyre blow-out. Ensuring you’re safe on the roads.


How does the TPMS work?


Each wheel is fitted with a sensor valve, which constantly measures the air pressure in each tyre. When the pressure drops below 25% of its recommended level, which indicates that the tyre may be dangerous to be driven on, a radio transmission is instantly sent. This triggers the pictured warning light to show on the dashboard and this alerts the driver that they may have slow or fast puncture or have suffered a blow-out.


Benefits of TPMS


  • Improved fuel efficiency – Under-inflation is a frequent cause of excessive fuel consumption, so correctly inflated tyres enhance fuel efficiency, ultimately saving you money. 
  • Enhanced driving performance – Driving on the correct tyre pressures means that your braking, gripping and cornering capabilities are optimised. 
  • Prolonged tyre life – Driving on under inflated tyres can cause excessive and unnecessary tyre wear, so correctly inflated tyres will last longer, saving you money on potential early replacements. 
  • Improved environmental efficiency – Correctly inflated tyres not only enhance fuel efficiency but they also release less harmful carbon dioxide pollutants in to the environment than under inflated tyres do.


By alerting you, the TPMS will help you to react quickly when your tyre pressure has fallen 25% below the manufacturer’s recommendation so you can rectify any drop in pressure, helping you to maintain fuel efficiency, driving performance and prolong the life of your tyres.

How do you know if your vehicle is fitted with a TPMS?
All new type vehicles manufactured after November 2012 and all new cars from 2014 will be fitted with a TPMS system by UK law, and you can ask one of our Re-Tyred technicians if you’re still not sure.

If you have a ‘direct’ TPMS system in your vehicle you will have an icon on the dashboard to alert you. This is the horseshoe shape and exclamation mark graphic and will be displayed either when initially starting the vehicle or when pressure information is communicated.

Re-Tyred can take care of the maintenance of your TPMS. During an inspection on your tyres, our specialists will offer to carry out a TPMS inspection, which includes monitoring the condition of the sensor-valve and electronic system of the TPMS.

If necessary, our specialists will change certain components to ensure that your TPMS retains its capability for safe operation.

If your vehicle is not fitted with a TPMS we can provide you with the AirAware kit which offers the same functionality as a TPMS.