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It's therefore critical for your safety and comfort that your tyres are properly inflated in line with the vehicle manufacturers' recommendations. Tyre pressures should be manually checked when they are cold at least once a month or before a long journey.
However, in order to assist you in monitoring the pressure in your tyres, all new cars are now equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) which notifies you of any tyre pressure issues.
To discover how your TPMS works and how you need to look after it, take a look at Tyresafe.org's animation below.
It's a system fitted to a vehicle which constantly
monitors the pressures or pressure imbalance in the
tyres and provides a warning to the driver if these fall
below a certain threshold.
Such is the importance of correct tyre inflation, TPMS is a
very useful safety feature. However, TPMS should not
be seen as a replacement for regular manual tyre safety
checks.
Both system types work with the vehicle's main Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to alert the driver via dashboard warning lights to any pressure loss or variance issues.
TPMS & runflat tyres
Runflat tyres (RoF) are designed to provide a limited run-on
period following a puncture. These types of tyres can
be identified by the "RF" marking found on the tyre
sidewall.
Runflat tyres are only designed to run for a limited
period, at a maximum speed of 50 mph with a limited
load carrying capacity.
Due to the nature of runflat tyres, these should only
ever be fitted to vehicles equipped with TPMS.
You can see the identifying marks on runflat tyres by visiting our page which explains which runflat tyres can be repaired.
TPMS Law
Since November 2014, all new passenger vehicles sold
in the EU must be equipped with TPMS.
Furthermore, with effect from 1st January 2015,
all vehicles fitted with TPMS will need to have a fully
functioning system when undergoing their annual MOT
test. Inoperative or faulty TPMS systems will result in
an MOT failure.
Tyre Pressure
and Your Safety
The air pressure within your tyres is the most
important factor in determining how well they
perform. Pressure affects the tyre's speed
capability, load carrying capacity, handling
response, wear rate and overall safety. What's
more, under-inflated tyres will cause your car
to use more fuel and emit more CO2 emissions.
It's therefore critical for your safety and comfort that your tyres are properly inflated in line with the vehicle manufacturers' recommendations. Tyre pressures should be manually checked when they are cold at least once a month or before a long journey. For more details on how to check your tyre pressures, visit any of our centres for assistance or take advantage of our Free Safety Inspections.
TPMS warning lights
If the TPMS warning light on your dashboard
illuminates, it should not be ignored as there may be
a problem with the pressure in one or more of your
tyres. At the earliest opportunity, find a safe place to
stop your vehicle where you can manually check your
tyre pressures against the vehicle manufacturer's
recommended settings. These details can be found in
your vehicle handbook, inside the fuel filler flap or on
a placard located on the driver's door sill.
Manual Checks
While the benefits of TPMS are widely recognised, it is
important that they are not seen as a replacement for
regular manual tyre safety checks. Pressures should be
tested at least once a month or before any long
journey, when the tyres are cold using an accurate and
reliable pressure gauge.
When checking pressures, it is advisable to also give
the rest of the tyre a thorough visual inspection as well
as ensuring the tread is not excessively or unevenly
worn.
TPMS Servicing
To ensure your TPMS system continues to operate
properly and reduce the likelihood of an MOT failure,
it may be necessary to have the system serviced
occasionally. TPMS sensors are designed to last for
many years and miles, however, after a certain period,
the sensor's internal battery will run out meaning a
replacement is needed.
Our centres have the testing equipment required to service & replace TPMS valve sensors. We have found one of the main reasons for prematurely replacing TPMS valves sensors is the use of metal or aftermarket valve caps, whereby, when trying to remove the valve cap the valve stem snaps because the cap has corroded itself onto the valve stem. It is recomended to only fit plastic or alloy valve caps. If this happens to you it's not always a case of replacing the whole sensor, though we can if required. We are able valve sensor service kits to replace just the valve stem & seals in many cases.