What is a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System?
Tyres are the only contact your car has to the road, so it is essential that these are looked after and are a high priority when conducting maintenance on your vehicle. Tyres that are inflated incorrectly do not only pose a huge safety risk for yourself and others, but also could result in damage to your vehicle. Unlike the wear to your tyres being easily visible, loss of tyre pressure can be less noticeable, therefore you could be driving on unsafe tyres for a long period of time without knowing.
What is a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System?
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System or TPMS, is technology that works directly with your cars main computer system. This monitors the air pressure within each tyre. It is capable of then sending back real-time updates in the form of tyre pressure readings. This will alert the driver straight away of any pressure issues your tyres may have through a warning light that is transmitted straight over to the vehicle’s dashboard. This notifies the driver that they need to get to a safe destination or garage and have the tyres checked immediately.
What causes low tyre pressure?
Low tyre pressure could be the result of a leak due to the valve cap not being closed securely or correctly, which will result in a slow but steady stream of air being released from the tyre as you drive. You can hear a continuous hiss coming from the tyre if this is the case. It can also be caused by a slow puncture. If you need more information on this, we have a blog post here on what they are and how to deal with them if they occur.
Tyres also can lose pressure per 10-degree temperature drop. Your tyres may be inflated the correct amount in the summer, but by the time winter comes around, you may see the tyre pressure light come on warning you that the tyre pressure is now too low and will need inflating.
Why is TPMS so important?
TPMS systems are important for a number of reasons. Safety is number one. Incorrectly inflated tyres can lead to multiple problems with handling, especially in cold weather. Lack of air pressure could also result in your tyres wearing down far quicker than they would if inflated fully. Not keeping an eye on the pressure could also put you at a high risk of a tyre blow out, which could result in an accident. TPMS is first and foremost a safety feature which has the potential to save many lives and potential repair costs. It has now become a key component of modern cars.
TPMS is also great for your driving efficiency. Under inflated tyres and incorrect pressure can mean that you are likely to replace your tyres more regularly, resulting in higher maintenance costs. Incorrect pressure can also affect your car’s fuel efficiency, as more tread comes into contact with the ground. This causes more friction and therefore more fuel is having to be used for the car to drive itself forward.
Last but not least, TPMS means you can be sure that your tyres are performing correctly when it comes to the comfort of your drive. Steering and suspension can be directly impacted by tyre pressure, but under inflated tyres will also reduce the shock absorption when driving on rough terrain, causing a more uncomfortable ride.
