TPMS service

I was called out this week to a Mercedes E Class that had blown a tyre. It started as a puncture that caused the tyre to deflate, the owner continued to drive as the car was fitted with runflat tyres, but once you go too far on a deflated runflat it will breakup. In this case it split the sidewall which then caused the car to run on the rim. At this point the owner stopped and called out a recovery service, they fitted a space saver tyre which allowed him to get home. He then called us at hometyre and booked us to come and fit two new front tyres, as both were nearing the end of their life anyway.

I arrived at the job with two new Goodyear runflat tyres and soon had the car jacked up and the first wheel off. Once I had broken the seal on the tyre, it was possible to see that sensor valves (TPMS) were fitted, these valves have a small sensor attached in between the tyre and the wheel rim. This sensor give a reading every 3 seconds to the cars computer, letting it know the tyres pressure and temperature. Should there be a problem with the tyre, then the computer will flash up a warning on the dashboard.

When changing any tyre the valve is normally changed as the rubber gets brittle and can crack causing air loss. With a sensor valve it is recommended to give it a service. This involves changing the valve stem and sealing nut. This way you are replacing the rubber sealing parts just like on a normal rubber valve. We at Hometyre Sussex carry a full set of replacement parts for all types of TPMS valve. It is just a case of checking the vehicle details, sorting out what type of sensor is fitted and selecting the correct parts to replace.

For this vehicle, I was able to soon find the replacement aluminium stem and sealing nut with new rubber seals. These were changed, the TPMS sensor was bolted back into the rim and the new tyre fitted. It was then inflated to the correct pressure, balanced and fitted back on the car. I then use my diagnostic tool to check the sensor is working correctly, this tool gives me the pressure, temperature, battery condition and ID of the sensor.

The second wheel is then removed and goes through the same process, once complete I then check the cars computer to make sure that the TPMS system has been reset.

Payment for the job is then taken and a receipt emailed to the customer.

If you need a service or a replacement for a damaged sensor call us at hometyre click here for details