A Guide to TPMS – Tyre Pressure Monitoring in Halifax

A Guide to TPMS – Tyre Pressure Monitoring in Halifax

A tyre pressure warning on the dashboard can be unsettling, particularly when you are about to set off for work or a longer journey.

TPMS stands for Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. It helps alert you to pressure loss, but it does not inflate your tyres or guarantee that they are always correctly maintained.

Here at Pellon Tyres and Autocentre in Halifax, we can check tyre pressures, investigate leaks and help with TPMS faults.

How does TPMS work?

There are two main types: direct and indirect.

Direct TPMS uses sensors that measure pressure inside the tyres and send information to the vehicle. Some cars display individual pressure readings; others provide a warning light.

Indirect TPMS uses information from the vehicle’s wheel-speed sensors to detect changes associated with pressure loss. It does not measure tyre pressure through a sensor inside each wheel.

Both systems need to be used according to the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions.

What does the warning light mean?

The usual warning symbol resembles a tyre-shaped outline with an exclamation mark inside.

It may indicate low pressure in one or more tyres. Depending on the vehicle and how the warning appears, it can also indicate a system fault.

Check your handbook rather than assuming every warning means a sensor needs replacing.

Possible causes include a puncture, a leaking valve, pressure changes in colder weather or a monitoring-system problem.

What should you do when it comes on?

Find somewhere safe to stop and inspect the tyres. Check their pressures with a suitable gauge when it is safe to do so.

If a tyre is visibly flat or damaged, or the vehicle feels unstable, do not continue your journey on it. Arrange assistance.

A tyre that repeatedly loses pressure needs investigating. Simply topping it up or clearing the warning does not fix a leak.

Should you reset the system?

Only follow the reset or calibration procedure after checking the tyres, correcting their pressures and addressing any fault.

Some systems need recalibrating after inflation or tyre changes. Others require a sensor-learning procedure.

The process varies by vehicle, so follow the handbook or ask our team. Resetting an indirect system while pressures are wrong can establish an incorrect reference.

Where do you find the correct pressures?

Use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations, usually shown in the handbook, on a door-pillar label or inside the fuel filler flap.

Different pressures may apply when carrying passengers or luggage.

The maximum pressure moulded onto a tyre’s sidewall is not necessarily the correct setting for your car.

Check pressures when the tyres are cold, at least monthly and before a long journey.

Can TPMS sensors wear out?

Direct sensors commonly contain sealed batteries that eventually run down. Valves, seals and other components can also develop faults or leaks.

Depending on the problem, the work may involve Servicing valve components, replacing a sensor or programming it to the vehicle.

Indirect systems do not have those in-wheel pressure sensors, so their diagnosis is different.

TPMS checks at Pellon Tyres

A warning deserves a proper check, but it does not automatically mean an expensive repair.

Call 01422 351314 or 01422 362030 to discuss the problem and arrange a visit.

Read more about tyre pressure monitoring problems on the Pellon Autocentre website.

If you need replacement tyres, you can search and arrange fitting on the Pellon Tyres website.

Visit us on Pellon Lane, Halifax, HX1 4PZ. If we have helped you, please consider leaving Pellon a Google review.

Written by Eric Roberts.