If you’ve been searching for a new or a used vehicle, and you’ve seen that it offers a TPMS, we’d understand if you have a few questions on your mind. The letters in this acronym stand for Tire Pressure Monitoring System, a tool that allows you to check or monitor your tire pressure right
from your dashboard.
Save money with regular Tyre Pressure Monitoring System servicing
In November 2012, EU law came into force, requiring all new cars to be fitted with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as standard. A pressure sensor is installed in each tyre air valve, monitoring temperature and pressure and alerting the driver, via the car’s engine control unit (ECU), if these fall outside pre-determined limits. Like other car components, a TPMS will benefit from regular servicing.
The benefits of regular servicing for motorists
As a motorist, you need to be aware of the benefits of regular checking of the TPMS and why this is best carried out by a tyre expert. A properly serviced TPMS:
- Improves driver and passenger safety
- Prolongs tyre life and reduces wear
- Improves fuel consumption and reduces CO2 emissions
- Provides peace of mind
Ideally, the only time a sensor should need replacing is when the internal battery runs out. Batteries can last anything from 3-7 years or up to 150,000 miles. However, weather damage and galvanic corrosion of the components that attach the TPMS to the tyre valve and seal it airtight can cause them to become faulty or even to fail completely.
The simple and much cheaper solution is to ensure the valve is in good condition, especially the cap and core components, through regular servicing and component replacement where needed.
Servicing the TPMS every time a tyre bead is broken is considered a standard requirement by many sensor manufacturers in order for them to last.
Cheaper than a dealer?
It is always cheaper to service a TPMS than to replace one, especially as a replacement will often require an electronic reset to pair the sensors with the ECU. A TPMS service at a tyre centre can cost as little as one-third of the price charged by a franchised vehicle dealer.
