What Is Tpms, Does My Car Have It and How Do I Reset It?

As of 2012, the Government mandated that all new passenger vehicles must be equipped with a TPMS system.

But what is TPMS?

TPMS or, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System is a system that will continually monitor the tyres pressure and then will alert the driver. More advanced systems will show the tyres current live pressure whilst others will only alert you of a pressure loss – But not which tyre or what pressure it has gone down to.

Direct TPMS is the fancy system that will continually tell you the pressure. By having sensors mounted into the valves, they relay this information to the dashboard/infotainment system so the driver can tell the pressure at a quick glance. Some more advanced Direct pressure systems can also show the tyre’s pressure. Not very useful for the average driver but, for those who like to take their vehicle to motorsport events it can be very useful.

The main downside to this system is that it is expensive to install and maintain. So, usually these sensors are only found on the upper end of the vehicle manufacturing system. Also, having an integrated battery in the unit and not being powered directly from the car means that the sensors typically last 5-7 years and then need to be replaced.

In-Direct TPMS systems aren’t as accurate as the direct systems as; there isn’t a sensor to continually monitor the pressure and instead rely on the rolling resistance of the tyre instead. If the sensor in the ABS detects a change in the rolling resistance, it will flag the user via a light on the dashboard. The light won’t tell you which tyre is going down as it isn’t that clever. Being this simple, you can find this cheaper system on a larger variety of more economical cars.

I’ve had my puncture repaired by the TPMS light is still on my dashboard? How do I turn this off?

Sadly it’s not that simple and there isn’t ‘one procedure to fix all’. In most vehicles, you can go into the dashboard, settings and then TPMS. From here you follow the instructions for the reset procedure.

In some cases (especially for older models), there will be a button under the dashboard or in the glovebox to reset the system after the tyres have been inflated to the correct pressure.

If you’ve reset the system and the light is still in, it could be that one of the sensors is low on battery. Need someone to come out and check the vehicle over? Call us on 0333 444 5454 or send a TPMS enquiry to info@hometyre.co.uk where we will be more than happy to help!