Talk to me about TPMS - 'new' car content

They are the valves which are on the rim, so you dont need to replace with tyres.
You will need another set for a different set of wheels though, or get them moved across.

Or you can get a module to bypass them
https://tpmsbypass.com/

The garage replacing your wheels will know what to do.

<sarcasm>
£60 to disable a legally required safety device on a car... seems like a great idea
</sarcasm>

£60 to disable a legally required safety device on a car… seems like a great idea

Well I did not know TPMS was now a legal requirement on new vehicles (since 2014 apparently).  I confess I doubted you 'til i Googled it, soz.  Every day is a school day.

The garage replacing your wheels will know what to do.

Try and upsell you a new valve for every wheel.

They said wife's car "needed" 4 new ones at £30 when tyres were renewed.  There was no issues with them before and non since .

Definitely valves and not a passive system using the wheel speed sensors. I'd have thought that was more likely on a lower value vehicle.

Well I did not know TPMS was now a legal requirement on new vehicles (since 2014 apparently).

Sitting here scratching my head wondering why I've never seen anything about TPMS on my 2017 van, but it seems the 2014 legislation covers passenger vehicles only. I wondered how all the van-scene fol managed with their frequent wheel swaps.

Sitting here scratching my head wondering why I’ve never seen anything about TPMS on my 2017 van, but it seems the 2014 legislation covers passenger vehicles only. I wondered how all the van-scene fol managed with their frequent wheel swaps.

As Nixie has said, there is the other type of system which uses wheel speed sensors instead - my 2016 transporter uses this type.

The advantage is no expensive valves. The disadvantage is you just get an alert on the dash saying check tyre pressure, it doesn't show you the pressure of each wheel individually.

Sitting here scratching my head wondering why I’ve never seen anything about TPMS on my 2017 van, but it seems the 2014 legislation covers passenger vehicles only.

I found the same when I got a puncture in my van that wasn't flagged up.  Trucks also have to have it, so there's a weird gap that seems a bit senseless.

I also realised the other week, (after about 4 years of ownership! ) my van has no passenger airbag,  which is a bit shit because its not a poverty spec one.

Every year I fit my winter tires.(which would have been a better mandate than Tpms if it were a safety thing ) I drive 5 miles then sing the theme tune of my people..... "This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine"

As for legality....I don't have run flats and Im not legally registered blind.

I did get a flat tire in Feb last year - it was evident before the light had a chance to shine.....1 revolution of the wheel.

Not everyone is as awesome as you.

Glad you agree that licenses are handed out on cornflake packets these days

I have TPMS on a motorbike and a car.  The car is a recent acquisition and my first with TPMS, I've had the bike for a couple of years.  My bike displays the actual tyre pressures on a TFT screen, and is dynamic - you can see the pressures rise or fall with outside air temp or rise as the tyres warm up when riding.  The car however (2021 Skoda Octavia) doesn't display pressures.  It just says they are 'OK'.  You set the pressures manually then press a calibration button and that's it. Presumably it alarms if it falls below some pre-set threshold.  Is that normal with modern cars? It would be useful to see the actual pressures so I can see if they are within tolerances but need topping up.

It's probably Indirect TPMS on a car that new.
It's just looking at relative wheel speeds rather than measuring the pressure (Direct TPMS).

All the calibration does is start a process to check how fast the wheels go in relation to each other when the steering wheel is (nearly) dead ahead and you're travelling over ~20kph.

Thanks.  Not quite as useful as it could have been then.

 Is that normal with modern cars? It would be useful to see the actual pressures so I can see if they are within tolerances but need topping up.

I'm not sure if there is a 'normal' yet. Previous cars (2005 BMW Z4, 2007 3-series, and 2012 MINI) had the speed sensor style with a warning if  the car detected a drop in pressure in a tyre. Simple push-button reset when you adjusted tyre pressures or swapped wheels. Basic but worked. Mrs a11y's 2016 Nissan Qashqai had a screen within the dash that can show the pressures of all 4 tyres at the same time - that's with sensors built into the valves I believe. Still on original valves too I think.

I also realised the other week, (after about 4 years of ownership! ) my van has no passenger airbag,  which is a bit shit because its not a poverty spec one.

Transit Customs from 2012 on in Base or Trend trim only have a driver airbag - needed Limited or Sport spec to gain a passenger airbag as standard (Base < Trend < Limited < Sport). I ticked the optional extras box for a pack including driver and passenger thorax airbags (built into side of front seats) plus curtain airbags the length of the cab.

Not quite as useful as it could have been then.

Reliability is *massively* better. As is durability.

Also don't get people who don't understand differing units (Bar Vs PSI), using the indicated number as a percentage (aiming for 100, wish i was joking) or filling until they are all the same (without checking target pressure).

At least having Green, Amber, Red means that people check the manual or the information plate on the B Pillar.

Got it on both cars. Can be useful but also annoying as even the softest setting won’t let you drop below 32psi without giving a warning that you can’t clear (and can’t see any other information) until you add more air. In these winter conditions I’d probably run a bit softer than that if it would let me.

2021 car here with TPS via the abs sensors, not the valve system. Means winter wheel swaps are simples. If it lights up, just check the pressures in them all and cancel the light via a button in the car.

2021 car here with TPS via the abs sensors, not the valve system.

On one of our cars there's a distinction drawn between TMPS which was an option and run-flat detection which is what is done via the ABS - we have the latter. On our other car it has actual TPMS and that shows you the pressure in PSI in each tyre after you drive it for a minute or so.

Transit Customs from 2012 on in Base or Trend trim only have a driver airbag – needed Limited or Sport spec to gain a passenger airbag as standard (Base < Trend < Limited < Sport). I ticked the optional extras box for a pack including driver and passenger thorax airbags (built into side of front seats) plus curtain airbags the length of the cab.

2016 Transit Connect Limited. I'd really have just expected it to be fitted! It's got the build in emergency assist thing, which is presumably a safety feature selling point FFS. TPMS I'd have expected too, even if it's not actually a legal requirement. I think I might have held off for a different van if I'd have realised these were missing.

£60 to disable a legally required safety device on a car… seems like a great idea

I've had a 3 flat tyres on my Focus - all caused by the TPMS, I'd be safer without it. The weight of the sensor on the back of the valve causes the stem to move in the rim and create a leak path. I've spent the price of new tyre or two having them rebuilt every couple of years.