TPMS

Gavrobb · Jun 17, 2016

Tire Pressure Monitoring System - has anybody seen this one work? Just got our first puncture this week (damn'd 18" alloys - seriously - no spare!!??) and I was surprised to not see the warning coming up as the tire pressure dropped - first I knew was a sorry looking Cali in the drive... Same story this weekend as I drive around with a leaking flat (4days for a replacement tire...) No sign of the light and reset the pressures on the system a couple times.

Is it working for anybody else? May be a longer drive needed? (I believe it monitors the rolling diameter)

GrannyJen · Jun 17, 2016

I have had a false alarm come on, a tyre replaced and TPMS not reset, but I have not experienced it as a real call. My only experience of punctured tyres was catastrophic deflation.

sidepod · Jun 17, 2016

Perhaps the baseline setting in the on board computer wasn't set correctly?

My Audi requires an input once all tyres are set.

If you say you only noticed it later then that suggests a slow puncture.

The Cali TPMS is ABS based and therefore quite crude and not that accurate. Approx 25% I think?

JohnnyP · Jun 17, 2016

Gavrobb said:
Tire Pressure Monitoring System - has anybody seen this one work? Just got our first puncture this week (damn'd 18" alloys - seriously - no spare!!??) and I was surprised to not see the warning coming up as the tire pressure dropped - first I knew was a sorry looking Cali in the drive... Same story this weekend as I drive around with a leaking flat (4days for a replacement tire...) No sign of the light and reset the pressures on the system a couple times.

Is it working for anybody else? May be a longer drive needed? (I believe it monitors the rolling diameter)

From my experience with the VW TPM system all four wheels could be stolen and approx 3 days later the warning light will show.

Skinnee D · Jun 17, 2016

We have a VW car with that system and another with wheel sensors, and both alarm at around 20% loss. Both seem to work well as long as it's a slow puncture.

Bellesca · Jun 17, 2016

Remember to reset it . Ours lit up on our first trip....no problem with tyres,so we just reset it. I was very grateful that it alerted me to low pressure in one tyre when on the long haul to the South of France.

andyinluton · Jun 17, 2016

Ours works fine, one questionable alarm and two genuine punctures.

Although not perfect I wouldn't want the porsche system of a sensor in the tyre that actually gives a pressure readout on the dashboard, when the batteries go its a £670 per set to replace the sensors and recode them to the car.

Gavrobb · Jun 17, 2016

This thread works incredibly! Came on today as the slow puncture kicked in! Really interesting to hear the experiences

For the record - the liquid latex works pretty well, I was hesitant but a 10mm gash in the tread and it holds for 24hrs before needing topped up. Not a bad option....

Nottledim · Jun 19, 2016

I thought the monitor worked by comparing the rotating speed of each of the wheels and so won't work on a stationary van?

WelshGas · Jun 19, 2016

Nottledim said:
I thought the monitor worked by comparing the rotating speed of each of the wheels and so won't work on a stationary van?

That's correct. But when you set the TPMS, it will monitor the rotational speed of all 4 wheels, next time you drive, to set a baseline.

Swissian · Jun 19, 2016

Nottledim said:
I thought the monitor worked by comparing the rotating speed of each of the wheels and so won't work on a stationary van?

I also thought that because AFAIK it's linked to the ABS.
Mine also works fine because I forgot to reset it when I changed to my summer wheels and then 2 days later the warning light came on. I think that it needs a certain number of miles/km to make a more accurate comparison, before the warning shows.

Velma's Dad · Jun 19, 2016

I have a 2015 T5 and just last week the dealer detected and fixed a fault in the TPMS that was causing false alarms. Could possibly be a common fault.

(Probably unconnected, but the TPMS in our Skoda Yeti (basically a VW) is also very sensitive to a pressure drop - which of course is what you want, really.)