Most new vehicles now include tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMSs) to make keeping your tires at their recommended air pressure easy.
A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) alerts you when your tire’s air pressure drops by lighting or flashing an indicator light on your dashboard warning light.
TPMS is an essential safety feature that can help prevent accidents and poor fuel economy. To gain more knowledge on TPMS usage and proper tire care, visit Virginia Tire & Auto today!
TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System
What does “TPMS” stand for and what does it do on a car? Tire Pressure Monitoring System, commonly found on modern vehicles, allows drivers to keep an eye on tire pressure levels. If it detects that any tires fall below recommended levels, an alarm will go off on your dashboard light, alerting you and giving you time to fill them back up safely with air.
Your vehicle should come equipped with this feature to avoid potentially hazardous driving situations and wear-and-tear issues, and to improve fuel economy.
If your car features TPMS, it is important to understand its functions and workings so you can keep it in good condition. While TPMS should not replace regular tire pressure checks, be sure to bring in your car regularly for service checks to keep its system at peak condition.
Direct TPMS systems are the most prevalent type of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). They work by measuring each tire individually and transmitting this information back to your car’s computer, where if there’s an issue it will trigger an alert on your dashboard and illuminate with red if an alert light activates.
Other types of tire pressure monitoring systems exist as well, for instance those that utilize speed sensors in your anti-lock brake system to measure how fast each tire is traveling.
Another type is indirect TPMS, which uses speed sensor data to calculate tire pressure in each tire. When connected to an anti-lock braking system, indirect TPMS will turn on automatically if any tires underinflate by 20% or more and illuminate its light accordingly.
If your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is acting up, don’t hesitate to make an appointment at Warren Tire Service Center – our knowledgeable experts are happy to provide assistance and ensure a fully operational TPMS system!
It is a safety feature
A Tire Pressure Monitoring System, or TPMS, is a safety feature designed to monitor tire pressure. This system notifies you if tire pressure drops below recommended levels, helping keep air in your tires at the proper levels and improving vehicle handling while decreasing wear on tires.
Many vehicles today come equipped with this technology. You can typically confirm if yours has it by consulting its owner’s manual.
Whenever your TPMS sensor detects that one of your tires is under-inflated, it will illuminate a light on your dashboard to alert you and give you time to take appropriate action.
This feature can help save you money on fuel expenses and potentially prevent serious injuries or deaths, though TPMS should not replace regular tire inspections and maintenance checks.
Modern cars and light trucks often come equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). Indeed, Congress passed the TREAD Act in 2000 mandating all vehicles manufactured after 2006 be equipped with such sensors.
Direct TPMS uses sensors in each wheel to monitor air pressure. When any tire falls below 25% of manufacturer-recommended pressure, these sensors send information back to your car’s computer system and activates an indicator light on your dashboard to flash.
Indirect Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMSs) work in concert with your car’s Anti Lock Braking System’s (ABS) wheel speed sensors to detect when one or more tires have lost air pressure. Once this sensor detects air loss in any tire, its rolling speed differs significantly from other tires on the vehicle and will indicate when pressure loss has taken place.
TPMS systems can be extremely reliable, yet should not replace regular tire inspection and maintenance checks. To be on the safe side, it is always a good idea to check your tires on a regular basis so they remain functional.
If your TPMS light is flashing, this could be caused by a defective sensor and should be addressed by taking your car into a service center for repair or replacement of this element.
Some TPMS systems can be manually reset after tire rotation or installation of new tires; others will auto-reset after driving for a set number of miles.
It is a technology
There are various kinds of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), each designed with one goal in mind: helping prevent tire pressure issues that could lead to accidents and poor fuel economy. Congress passed the TREAD Act in 2000 mandating that all cars manufactured between 2006 and 2016 be equipped with an approved TPMS system.
TPMS technology is essential in maintaining tire safety and performance, so it’s worthwhile understanding its operation. Simply put, this system uses sensors to track air pressure in each of your tires in real-time and alerts when their pressure falls below recommended levels.
TPMS systems are designed to assist drivers in maintaining optimal tire pressure levels for improved vehicle handling, reduced tire wear and reduced braking distance, as well as increasing fuel efficiency. They also help them increase their fuel efficiency.
Most TPMS systems are relatively user-friendly and require little upkeep or maintenance. They work by employing sensor valves in each tire that send a low-frequency signal to your engine control unit (ECU), so if your tire pressure drops suddenly the ECU will detect this and display a warning light on your dashboard.
Direct TPMS – This type of tire pressure monitoring system utilizes sensors within each tire to detect low pressure levels, alerting you when they drop 25% below manufacturer-recommended levels. Once detected, data will be transmitted back to your car’s computer system and display as an alert on the dashboard TPMS light.
Indirect TPMS – This type works in tandem with your anti-lock brake system’s wheel speed sensors to identify whether any one or more tires is spinning faster than they should, suggesting they might be low on air and need attention.
TPMs have been available since the late 90s, yet only recently saw widespread adoption by a variety of devices including smart home appliances, automobile ECUs and industrial sensors.
Recently, TPM vulnerabilities have raised serious security concerns; however, companies can significantly mitigate those risks by keeping their devices and firmware up-to-date and taking proactive steps to keep security updates installed on all of them.
It is a feature
TPMS systems are becoming a standard feature on new vehicles and provide drivers with an effective tool to monitor tire pressure levels and ensure greater road safety by helping prevent costly accidents caused by low tire pressure.
Congress recognized its benefits and passed the TREAD Act, mandating that all cars produced after 2006 be equipped with TPMS.
There are two kinds of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMSs): direct and indirect. Direct systems utilize sensors attached directly to each wheel, sending data directly into your car’s computer system. Indirect ones send air pressure information instead.
Once the air pressure falls past a certain percentage of its recommended level, this sensor communicates this data to your vehicle’s internal computer and activates your dashboard TPMS light. Other types use Anti Lock Brake System (ABS) wheel speed sensors as alerting devices for underinflated tires; one type uses them by rolling at a different pace than others to alert drivers if any are underinflated.
Warning signs can serve as a helpful indicator that it may be time to replace or refill your tires, especially if any are going flat. It is especially crucial that this be done if one or more tires become flattened.
If you’re uncertain whether your vehicle has tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), check its manufacturer’s manual or consult a mechanic in your area to find out if TPMS features are included in it or need to be purchased from dealership. For more information about your TPMS feature.
Always bear in mind that tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMSs) should only serve as a supplement, not as a replacement, for regular inspection of your tires.
If your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) has stopped functioning or flashing warning lights are flashing or steady blinking, or flashing intermittently, then bringing your vehicle in for diagnosis is highly advised. A qualified mechanic can quickly and efficiently determine what’s causing issues with TPMS so it can return to its regular functionality as quickly as possible.
If the TPMS indicator light does not remain illuminated after you’ve filled your tires, visit a service center to have it evaluated as it could indicate issues with its sensors such as dead sensor batteries or unrecognized sensors.
