How do flat tyre sensors work

[ToxicBunny]

Just do it all the old fashioned way with a tyre pressure gauge once a week. Another example of automation that ends up dumbing down the driving population. The idea is excellent and hugely useful especially for anyone towing a trailer/caravan etc. But none of these systems should ever be seen as replacing plain old common sense, which says a walk around your car at least once a day inspecting things is required.


@OP, step one read the car manual to determine what system is installed in your car. Then take the appropriate action. But don't fall for sales BS!

Each to their own... The system in my bmw alerts me way way way before my visual inspection would notice a problem with my tyre pressure. Hell it classes things as an issue that I would call being pretty much OK to wait until my next fill-up.

I think people are idiots so the more a car can alert drivers to potential issues the better

 

[bwana]

Just do it all the old fashioned way with a tyre pressure gauge once a week. Another example of automation that ends up dumbing down the driving population. The idea is excellent and hugely useful especially for anyone towing a trailer/caravan etc. But none of these systems should ever be seen as replacing plain old common sense, which says a walk around your car at least once a day inspecting things is required.

Taking a walk around the car to visually inspect the vehicle is a great idea but you pick up punctures while you're driving and the sooner you repair or replace a tyre the better.

 

[HAL 9000]

Maybe car manufacturers should take a leaf out of Austin Rover's back catalog design archives from 1983 and supplement all the various warning 'bells & whistles' & flashing warning lights / MID displays (including those pesky low tyre pressure messages) with sultry & soothing 'Aunty Maestro' voice alerts as well...

In March 1983, when the Maestro was launched, the digital dashboard came as standard on the top-of-the-range MG and Vanden Plas models and as an optional extra on the 1.6HLS – a deliberate marketing ploy.

However, it did not end there; not only was the instrument display digital, with LED readouts for all the car’s vital functions and its trip computer, but the electronic package also included a voice synthesiser.

The synthesiser, which ran to a 32-word vocabulary recorded in 15 languages, would warn the driver when the fuel level was low or when you needed to fasten-up your seat-belts, for example.

Source: https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/austin/maestro/

 

[genetic]

^^

"Warning... you have bought an MG."

 

[HAL 9000]

^^^
...and I am sure you enjoyed driving your MG TF immensely - If I could have obtained funds to buy it when you decided to sell it, I would have jumped at the chance!

 

[genetic]

^^^
...and I am sure you enjoyed driving your MG TF immensely - If I could have obtained funds to buy it when you decided to sell it, I would have jumped at the chance!

Loved my MG!

Sunk so much money into her to keep her pristine - Would have preferred to sell it to an MG aficionado such as yourself.

 

[nazmo]

My Mokka has pressure sensors. Only problem is that I rotated the tyres last month when I replaced two and now the front are reading as back and vice versa.

ooOOH, thanks for heads up. planning on rotating next week

 

[genetic]

ooOOH, thanks for heads up. planning on rotating next week

FYI... removal of the TPM sensors require rebalancing of the tyres too. Most tyre shops should know this though.

 

[Geoff.D]

Surely all it requires on tyre rotation is a recalibration of the control unit on the car to change the designation of the unit?
There must be a process for this in the manual?
It is extreme if the units have to be swopped over because that involves tyre deflation and valve changes?

 

[genetic]

Surely all it requires on tyre rotation is a recalibration of the control unit on the car to change the designation of the unit?
There must be a process for this in the manual?
It is extreme if the units have to be swopped over because that involves tyre deflation and valve changes?

Also most modern TPM sensors have to be replaced if their batteries die. One of the biggest scams in modern car electronics.

The older systems used to count the rotational speed of the trye, the flatter it is - the faster the rotational speed. Thus they never required a sensor within in the valve itself. It just measured the speed of the wheel. Slightly less accurate, but the batteries never died (because there were none!), and were far cheaper as a result.

Modern TPM systems are one of the most hated useless modern car features because of their high failure rate and cost to replace.

 

[bwana]

Surely all it requires on tyre rotation is a recalibration of the control unit on the car to change the designation of the unit?
There must be a process for this in the manual?
It is extreme if the units have to be swopped over because that involves tyre deflation and valve changes?

For my car a special "relearn tool" is required to sync the wheel to the well. Might just order one.

 

[Geoff.D]

For my car a special "relearn tool" is required to sync the wheel to the well. Might just order one.

Like all those "special spanners" only the agents have and won't sell you geez.
Let us know if you manage to buy one. It will sort of be less of a minus score.

 

[Rouxenator]

I replaced the tyres on my car in December (all 4) and they clearly marked the rims so that they go back where they came from. They also used the correct pressure as advised in the driver door sill (2.6 front, 2.3 rear) so I had absolutely no issues.

So I guess it depends on hoe knowledgeable the fitment center is.

 

[Geoff.D]

I replaced the tyres on my car in December (all 4) and they clearly marked the rims so that they go back where they came from. They also used the correct pressure as advised in the driver door sill (2.6 front, 2.3 rear) so I had absolutely no issues.

So I guess it depends on hoe knowledgeable the fitment center is.

So that means tyre rotation now involves removing the tyres themselves from the rims and rotating just the tyre? What a completely stupid idea! Just because of a poorly implemented very useful function by car manufacturers that refuse to provide the means for owners of vehicles to take control of automated systems?
Like I said, automation in vehicles ostensibly done to "improve" reliability and safety is actually a process of turning all drivers into the dumbest of individuals. The LCD problem all over again.
As @ToxicBunny posted, "drivers are morons" therefore treat ALL drivers as if they are morons. The outcome is a self fulfilling prophecy drivers are slowly becoming mindless idiots that just happen to be sitting in the driver seat.

 

[Geoff.D]

Automatic tyre pressure monitoring while on the move is a hugely beneficial system, BUT must remain under the ultimate control of the driver of the vehicle. If it does not it instantly becomes a liability and just a nuisance.

 

[Gaz{M}]

my polo gti used to use diameter or something primative. Tiguan has actual pressure sensors. its actually very useful. and great piece of mind when my mrs is driving and im not around.

FWIW I got a puncture in my Tiguan recently and the Tyre pressure warning comes on, the car beeps and shows the tyre pressure diagram on the main screen with all the pressures displayed. Then I watched as the pressure in one tyre decreased by 0.1bar every few seconds. Scary, but a very good feature because I wouldn't have noticed the tyre deflating at the rear, before damaging my rim. It also gave plenty of time to find a place to pull over. VW roadside were excellent!

 

[Geoff.D]

FWIW I got a puncture in my Tiguan recently and the Tyre pressure warning comes on, the car beeps and shows the tyre pressure diagram on the main screen with all the pressures displayed. Then I watched as the pressure in one tyre decreased by 0.1bar every few seconds. Scary, but a very good feature because I wouldn't have noticed the tyre deflating at the rear, before damaging my rim. It also gave plenty of time to find a place to pull over. VW roadside were excellent! Illustrates the value of the system perfectly! Why could you not just get out and fit the spare yourself?

 

[Rouxenator]

So that means tyre rotation now involves removing the tyres themselves from the rims and rotating just the tyre?

I don't rotate tyres.

Should the batteries in my TPMS run out I won't be replacing the sensors but instead find a place that has a suitable BCM tool to disable TPMS.

 

[Geoff.D]

I don't rotate tyres.

Should the batteries in my TPMS run out I won't be replacing the sensors but instead find a place that has a suitable BCM tool to disable TPMS.

And thus lose the value of a very useful facility? Makes real sense that does!

 

[neoprema]

Surely all it requires on tyre rotation is a recalibration of the control unit on the car to change the designation of the unit?
There must be a process for this in the manual?
It is extreme if the units have to be swopped over because that involves tyre deflation and valve changes?

Most of my Renaults had tyre pressure monitors and the manuals all said something along the lines of "rotating tyres is a needless exercise that will cause the tyre pressure system to stop functioning correctly and provides negligible gain in the lifespan of tyre tread."