Tyre Pressure sensor - possible to be faulty?

[Stoofa]

As I mentioned in a thread in a different discussion area, I've recently (last Thursday) had to have 4 new tyres.

Due to urgency etc I ended up with:

4x Bridgestone RE050A

I'm happy with the tyres, less noise and much smoother ride than my old Dunlop SP1's.

Drove around on Thursday, a little on Friday all without event.

Went to see my mum yesterday, we'd just filled up with petrol and about 3 miles down the road the tyre pressure warning light came on.

Arrived at my mums, pressed and held the set button and the warning went out.

Drove home last night, no warning light.

It is possible that it was just a one off - but its not something I'd expect with 4 brand new tyres.

Is it more likely to be a tyre fault than a "over-sensitive" sensor?

People who fitted the new tyres mentioned that the wear on the old tyres wasn't too bad but not perfect and recommended getting a wheel geometry check done.

Could "out of align" wheels cause this sensor to go off?

[dstev2000]

Whenever you have tyres changed you must always reset the TPM system in the way you mentioned - press and hold the TPM button until you hear a 'bong' from the dash. New tyres have a larger rolling circumference and this will eventually upset the TPM system.

[djgritt]

I ALWAYS get the TPM Bing up after new tyres - I know well enough, I get through a pair every 10k Miles

I'd only have concerns if it popped up again after being reset

[Browny_37]

I ALWAYS get the TPM Bing up after new tyres - I know well enough, I get through a pair every 10k Miles

I'd only have concerns if it popped up again after being reset

Wish i could achieve 10k out of the front pairs of my tyres!

My Astra Coupe Turbo use to shred its way through them after 4.5k! hahaha!

[Marcus100]

Interesting.

I've had the alarm go off twice. Once on my 57 plate vRS and now once on my 09 vRS.

Both times have been towing the caravan. A check on tyre pressures showed nothing amiss.

I must admit I regularly change the tyre pressures - upping them for towing then lowering when we arrive on site/home but never reset the TPM.

Any suggestions??? Just ignore it??? Rather alarming though as both times it has happened it has been when bowling along at 60 on the motorway.

[Tech1e]

There isnt a sensor of any sort, its just done on the speed of the tyre calculated by the ABS system.

[Yeti_Man]

There isnt a sensor of any sort, its just done on the speed of the tyre calculated by the ABS system.

Does it not use the wheel speed sensor for the ABS system then? Thats how I always assumed it worked and through that route it could determine that the wheel diameter was smaller (due to less pressure) and needed to rotate more times to cover the same distance?!

[dstev2000]

I think its relative RPM across all of the wheels via the ABS sensors. One wheel spinning consistently faster than the others has to have a smaller circumference.

Anyone changing tyre pressures should always reset the system. Especially when towing. Fitting the spare will probably upset it too.

[gadgetman]

I get through a pair every 10k Miles

:eek:

27k so far. Last car did 38k before we parted, and tyres still original and well above legal. And urban rallied the whole time.

WTF do you do to them, besides drive badly?

[djgritt]

:eek:

WTF do you do to them, besides drive badly?

Just not afraid to give the car some grief... If i wanted to pootle along economically, i wouldn't have gone for the vRS

Plus I run crappy Dunlop efforts.

[vRSLen]

TPS is rubbish as I had a double tyre blow out and no indication......

[gadgetman]

Just not afraid to give the car some grief... If i wanted to pootle along economically, i wouldn't have gone for the vRS

Plus I run crappy Dunlop efforts.

Michelins for me Pilot 2's on the Mk1, Primacy Pilots on the Mk2.

[sms]

just something i noticed with vag com at weekend there is an option called TPMS (inactive) and a tick if its ticked does that mean that the tpm isnt working or is?? this might be what most of the problems is.. someone like vrstu might be able to throw light on it or the vagcom team.

[Stoofa]

Just as an update.

Since I reset things last weekend the warning light hasn't come back, so I'm going to assume the dealer didn't do the reset after they fitted my new tyres.

The Dunlop SP1's that were taken off my car had done 27k miles, however they were shot (illegal in most cases).

I'd like to think I'm going to get around 20k on my new Bridgestone RE050A's - but I guess only time will tell.

[shark_90]

just something i noticed with vag com at weekend there is an option called TPMS (inactive) and a tick if its ticked does that mean that the tpm isnt working or is?? this might be what most of the problems is.. someone like vrstu might be able to throw light on it or the vagcom team.

I might be wrong but I think there's two types of TPMS.. the ABS wheel speed sensing type (as demonstrated here, my vRS has it too) and the other type which uses sensors on each tyre valve to actually monitor the pressure (which goes wrong ALL the time!).

I noticed while digging around with VCDS that TPMS isn't "active" on my car either, so I reckon that's for the other system.

[Genoa1893]

TPS is rubbish as I had a double tyre blow out and no indication......

I regret to have paid something more for this f%&$ng option. When all tyres "naturally" deflates, you get NO warnings.

I recognized that when I measured less than 2.0bar and tyres warmed up (original pressure was 2.5bar, at cold tyres)!!!

[Yeti_Man]

I regret to have paid something more for this f%&$ng option. When all tyres "naturally" deflates, you get NO warnings.

I recognized that when I measured less than 2.0bar and tyres warmed up (original pressure was 2.5bar, at cold tyres)!!!

Ive got a slow puncture on the front offside tyre and regular as clockwork when it gets to around 22psi (about every three to four weeks) the alarm goes off. So it takes a while and it seems to alert me quicker if I keep a constant speed on the journey rather than going through the gears around town.

[dan_the_v8man]

Interesting.

I've had the alarm go off twice. Once on my 57 plate vRS and now once on my 09 vRS.

Both times have been towing the caravan. A check on tyre pressures showed nothing amiss.

I must admit I regularly change the tyre pressures - upping them for towing then lowering when we arrive on site/home but never reset the TPM.

Any suggestions??? Just ignore it??? Rather alarming though as both times it has happened it has been when bowling along at 60 on the motorway.

thats more than likely because the system works by monitoring each wheel speed individually and the suspension angle, so my guess is its just the nose weight of the van bringing the back end down and the TPM mistaking it.

I had a couple of false alarms with it but also managed to spot a rather slow puncture

[chavdarlk]

TPM system needs 3 very close values and 1 different to indicate a problem.

In all other situations it will shut up.

This means also that it needs good road and straight ahead direction.

[dan_the_v8man]

hence why it doesn't start screaming first time you get the back end out on a corner while spinning the inside front wheel up?

The TPM that is, not the tyres lol

[gadgetman]

just something i noticed with vag com at weekend there is an option called TPMS (inactive) and a tick if its ticked does that mean that the tpm isnt working or is?? this might be what most of the problems is.. someone like vrstu might be able to throw light on it or the vagcom team.

If you have a TMPS alarm that a tyre is low, does this then show as active? I mean could this refer to the notification state?

[sms]

I might be wrong but I think there's two types of TPMS.. the ABS wheel speed sensing type (as demonstrated here, my vRS has it too) and the other type which uses sensors on each tyre valve to actually monitor the pressure (which goes wrong ALL the time!).

I noticed while digging around with VCDS that TPMS isn't "active" on my car either, so I reckon that's for the other system.

i think you might be right thinking about it now. but least i know mine is set up the same as yours.

[dr_druggist]

I think its relative RPM across all of the wheels via the ABS sensors. One wheel spinning consistently faster than the others has to have a smaller circumference.

Anyone changing tyre pressures should always reset the system. Especially when towing. Fitting the spare will probably upset it too.

:thumbup: