Tyre pressure alert

[Trebor77]

Hi.    Yesterday, my tyre pressure alert went ping and displayed a message telling me to check tyre pressures. They seemed ok, and are still ok today. I have reset the settings in the car menu.

 

Does this happen often ?

 

How does the system work ?

 

Thanks for all help. KK

 

 

 

 

[LHVRS]

Only happened to me when I had a puncher. 

[Ootohere]

What does 'Seemed fine' mean.

 

Were all 4 tyres at the same pressure as when you last set them and Reset the TPMS, or was one or more lower than when last set, 

or were all 4 a bit lower?

[wlange]

I assume by "seemed ok" you meant "visually ok". Check the pressure of all rubbers with a decent gauge (or at least one you trust) and do it again after some 24h.

Any chance you just changed tyres / wheels lately?

[AccoSnr]

Happened to me in first few days of having her and not having read up about the warnings, resetting etc. Had checked initial tyre pressures to be sure all consistent and correct and found one too high. Let some air out to correct which caused the warning when I was taking her for a good run. I hadn't reset following the change I made but also realised sun heat on one side had probably caused original discrepancy in pressure. Remedied by checking all when in shade followed by resetting on system and never had further warnings now over 1000mls more covered.

Other posts on here state tyre circumference/revolution/distance covered is recorded after initial system reset and then monitored and compared over car mileage, any change seen from the original will trigger the warning. So tyre circumference is key to the system and whilst quite effective as a means of measurement and monitoring it can be subject to many factors which IMHO could lead to spurious indications: however better to be warned of potential problem than nothing at all.

[Trebor77]

I checked the pressure with a pressure gauge. They were all the same pressure. I will keep an eye on them.

 

How does the system work ?

[Trebor77]

Happened to me in first few days of having her and not having read up about the warnings, resetting etc. Had checked initial tyre pressures to be sure all consistent and correct and found one too high. Let some air out to correct which caused the warning when I was taking her for a good run. I hadn't reset following the change I made but also realised sun heat on one side had probably caused original discrepancy in pressure. Remedied by checking all when in shade followed by resetting on system and never had further warnings now over 1000mls more covered.

Other posts on here state tyre circumference/revolution/distance covered is recorded after initial system reset and then monitored and compared over car mileage, any change seen from the original will trigger the warning. So tyre circumference is key to the system and whilst quite effective as a means of measurement and monitoring it can be subject to many factors which IMHO could lead to spurious indications: however better to be warned of potential problem than nothing at all.

Agreed & thanks. car is 9 months old 7000 miles so perhaps was worth resetting. Will monitor for the next few days.

[@Lee]

I checked the pressure with a pressure gauge. They were all the same pressure. I will keep an eye on them.

 

How does the system work ?

IIRC it detects subtle changes in the rolling circumference via the ABS ring and wheel speed sensors.

 

Edit; http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/tire-pressure-monitoring-system-how-tpms-works

[Trebor77]

IIRC it detects subtle changes in the rolling circumference via the ABS ring and wheel speed sensors.

 

Edit; http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/tire-pressure-monitoring-system-how-tpms-works

This is helpful thanks. K

[Ootohere]

It is not a question of all 4 being the same pressure, 

it is being the pressure they were when the TPMS was set at, and 2 fronts and 2 rears can be different, or 3 the same and 1 different.

 

The system detects a change of size from that that was recognised by setting the TPMS.

Easier to set pairs matching,

the pair or all 4 can lose pressure equally and the TPMS might never give a warning for long enough.

Edited 19 December, 2016 by Offski

[WesternDuke]

On personal experience, always pull over and check as the TPMS gave me sufficient warning when the O/S/R tyre was deflating in lane 3 of the M5.  It went flat just as I reached the hard shoulder.......................

[London Les]

I've been impressed with TPMS since it warned me about a puncture (large screw in the middle of the tread) ages before the loss of pressure was visible. Luckily I was due to change the wheels anyway that weekend.

[alancha]

The TPMS really surprised me last week.  In the two and a half years I've had the car, whenever a tyre pressure warning has come on it has always told me to check all the wheels, and each time I've been mildly irritated that it couldn't tell me which wheel it thought had a problem.

 

However, last week, I got a puncture and, to my amazement and delight, TPMS correctly told me it was in the rear left tyre.  Nothing's changed in the car (no recent software updates or anything like that), so I can only conclude that in some cases - perhaps the more extreme ones - it can indeed identify the problem wheel.

 

Have other seen this behaviour?

[wlange]

The TPMS really surprised me last week.  In the two and a half years I've had the car, whenever a tyre pressure warning has come on it has always told me to check all the wheels, and each time I've been mildly irritated that it couldn't tell me which wheel it thought had a problem.

 

However, last week, I got a puncture and, to my amazement and delight, TPMS correctly told me it was in the rear left tyre.  Nothing's changed in the car (no recent software updates or anything like that), so I can only conclude that in some cases - perhaps the more extreme ones - it can indeed identify the problem wheel.

 

Have other seen this behaviour?

 

I guess not a big deal to check it by letting some air out to see if it responds accurately...maybe one day when I have too much time ;)

What was the pressure loss in your case?

[themanwithnoaim]

Usually if it can't tell you a specific wheel, it's a general problem such as 2 tyres getting warmer than others, roundabouts when fully loaded ect.

However, if it tells you a specific wheel, it's nearly always a puncture. Whatever you think of TPMS don't ignore it

[johnrowley]

Usually if it can't tell you a specific wheel, it's a general problem such as 2 tyres getting warmer than others, roundabouts when fully loaded ect.

However, if it tells you a specific wheel, it's nearly always a puncture. Whatever you think of TPMS don't ignore it

 

spot on

 

if the TPMS reports more than 1 wheel to be affected its most likely a sensor issue, no drama, stop to check of course and reset TPMS when you are happy all is OK 

[johnrowley]

The TPMS really surprised me last week.  In the two and a half years I've had the car, whenever a tyre pressure warning has come on it has always told me to check all the wheels, and each time I've been mildly irritated that it couldn't tell me which wheel it thought had a problem.

 

However, last week, I got a puncture and, to my amazement and delight, TPMS correctly told me it was in the rear left tyre.  Nothing's changed in the car (no recent software updates or anything like that), so I can only conclude that in some cases - perhaps the more extreme ones - it can indeed identify the problem wheel.

 

Have other seen this behaviour?

 

 

yep - correctly identified the the tyre losing pressure well before i would have noticed either from visual inspection or from  driving characteristics

[Oxboll]

The ABS TPMS is highly flawed. It can be set off and give false warnings if you hit a pot hole or if you make a turn on a bumpy road.

 

I find it very frustrating, having to check tire pressure relatively often only to find out everything is ok. 

[Ootohere]

Checking tyre pressures should be compulsory IMO. At least 12 times a year.

Too many never ever check them waiting until Services or until they get a warning.

[trundlenut]

The ABS TPMS is highly flawed. It can be set off and give false warnings if you hit a pot hole or if you make a turn on a bumpy road.

I find it very frustrating, having to check tire pressure relatively often only to find out everything is ok.

In my experience that should not happen and suggests a fault somewhere in the system. Does the abs work correctly?

The indirect system seems to need a pressure loss of 0.5 bar to trigger and at 30mph between 0.5 and 1 mile of steady driving along fairly straight roads to go off.

[trundlenut]

The only false alarm I experienced was as a result of a knackered wheel bearing.

[Sec8200]

I try to check my tires once a month, or every 2k km. Usually I make sure before longer trip as well.

One thing - does it catch the scenario like in winter times - when all tires (simultaneously) have lower pressure due to the cold weather? Not the case when one has lower pressure and has difference in rotation speed compared to the others.

It's little difference of 0.2-0.3 bar but still it goes below recommended values.

[FlyingGecko]

There are other threads on this topic.

[Ootohere]

Simply Clever stuff, 

the system is very much as was designed to go with Run Flat tyres like on BMW / MINI where some drivers might not even notice the sudden loss of Air / Pressure from a tyre.

(it works showing that a tyre or more has lost pressure, it may not notice until enough is lost that all 4 pressures are now not as set.)

 

The system required Driver/ Keeper / Servicing Technician input and common sense, simply clever, not simply of mind.

Read and understand the system in Owners or Training Manual, Set Tyres Pressures, Reset TPMS, and check occasionally, the system and the tyre pressures.

& read up on setting Tyre Pressures in Cold Weather and the difference setting out in the cold or inside a heated or warmer building.

Edited 20 December, 2016 by Offski

[neiln]

In a little under 18000 miles I've now had 3 tpms warnings.  First it worked as designed, picked up a tyre at about 22 psi due to a nail.  I was grateful and learnt to trust the system.  2nd was a malfunction, classic flash all wheels on the car status, I was on a road in south London at the time and swung into a sainsbury car park I was passing to fish in the boot for the compressor and pressure gauge and checked all tyres in the dark and rain.  I learnt the signs of the system saying ' I've got a problem, please help me'.   Tonight, almost 1 am, M1, classic malfunction error message.  I still came straight off the motorway (luckily I was just approaching a junction when it alarmed), found a safe spot and stopped to visually check the tyres.  With the boot rammed, and I mean rammed, I wasn't keen to dig out the compressor and gauge so since they all looked ok I asked Google for the nearest petrol station....24 hour station 0.7 miles..... There i checked the pressures and yes all were fine.  I still trust the system and will NOT ignore it.   I may get a pressure gauge and stick it in the glove box though.