When Should You Replace Your TPMS? Here Is An Easy Guide

What make s avehicle functional? Engine, tires, wheels, its general structure. However, what makes your car safe? apart from your seat buckle, TPMS is one of those gadgets that make your driving safer. This system is designed for you to be aware when your tires are beginning to lose air.

Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors, or TPMS, are a relatively new technology in the vehicle industry. However, there needs to be more information concerning its maintenance and the subject that concerns us today, its replacement.

In this article, we will discuss the main points of TPMS, but we will focus on when it is recommended to replace it and when it is not. Making sure your system works efficiently will not only save you money, but also on some occasions even your life.

What Is TPMS?

TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. It is a built-in sensor that monitors the air pressure in the tires and notifies the vehicle's driver of any issues. It is quite a useful tool for your car, which can save you from complete tire failure. 

This system is installed in each tire, which is why you need to check them regularly.

You will encounter two types of TPMS

Direct

Sensors that need to be added to your tires. Our GUTA sensors are Direct ones.

These sensors work directly with the tire pressure and have different sets of alarms that will notify you of low/high tire pressure, fast leakage, and many others.

We mean that you need to add them since they do not come installed in every car.

If your vehicle already has TPMS sensors, these sensors are ideal for your RV, Golf cart or even your truck.

Indirect

They come already installed into your wheels. They work with your ABS system. If the friction or speed of one of your tires changes, it will notify you of an issue with the tire.

What Are the Benefits of Having TPMS?

There are several benefits to having a Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The most obvious benefit is that it can help you avoid a flat tire.

Another benefit of TPMS is that it can improve your fuel economy. When tires are properly inflated, your engine doesn't have to work as hard to move the vehicle forward as if your tires were underinflated.

TPMS can also improve safety. Underinflated tires are more likely to fail suddenly, which could lead to an accident. If you address your tire pressure issues promptly, you will avoid many road incidents.

TPMS is a valuable tool that can help you keep your vehicle in good condition and improve your driving experience. 

What Are Bad TPMS Symptoms?

When your tires suddenly lose pressure, or if there is a strange noise coming from your tires, they are bad TPMS symptoms. 

Drop in tire pressure

The most common alarming TPMS symptom is a sudden drop in tire pressure. If you notice that one or more of your tires seem to be losing air faster than usual, likely, your TPMS system is not functioning correctly.

Dying Battery

Another bad symptom is a dying battery. When a TPMS sensor battery dies, it will lose its connection with the TPMS computer, and the system will display the low tire pressure light on the dashboard. The low tire pressure light will flash for 60 to 90 seconds each time you start your vehicle until the sensor has been replaced.

Strange noises

There is third bad symptom of bad TPMS. You can hear occassionally, or after some years of usage strange noises coming from your tires. If you hear a hissing sound or something similar, the air is likely escaping from your tires due to a faulty TPMS sensor or a hole in the tire.

Do I Need To Replace TPMS When Replacing Tires?

Most tire pressure monitoring systems rely on individual air pressure sensors in each tire. These sensors don't last forever and can fail due to physical damage or when a sensor battery runs out of power or is malfunctioning.

There is no rule about changing TPMS sensors when changing your tires. Yet, there are certain reasons that you need to consider replacing them in case you change your tires.

Let's take a closer look.

As there are two types of TPMS, they also reset differently when you change your tires.

Direct TPMS

Direct TPMS uses an automatic readjusting system. Once the tires are changed, this system allows the vehicle to reset the sensor. The Direct TPMS does not need to be reset manually. You need to drive your vehicle a few miles so it can work out the pressure reading and then adjust the sensors to the new pressures. 

Indirect TPMS

Indirect TPMS is trickier. In most cases, you or your mechanic must manually reset the system. If this process step is not done, the TPMS will continue showing the dashboard's low-pressure warning light. Yet, this does not mean the system is malfunctioning or needs replacement; you need to reset it.

When Does The TPMS Need To Be Replaced?

When a tire pressure sensor fails, you should replace it as soon as possible to ensure you're alerted to underinflated or flat tires before there is damage to the tire or a catastrophic blowout or leakage.

When your TPMS light flashes for 60 to 90 seconds when starting your vehicle, your TPMS system alerts you to a problem. Most TPMS problems that trigger the warning light to flash are dead sensor batteries. 

TPMS sensor replacement is a good idea when the first sensor battery dies. Often, the other TPMS sensors will fail shortly afterward since the battery life of the sensors is very similar.

Consider replacing all of your sensors when one fails; this will maintain the continuous efficiency of the system. Additionally, it will save you money and time by preventing you from making multiple trips to your local tire shop.

Resources

There is a great variety of resources you can go through that will provide you with excellent and detailed information about TPMS. 

What is TPMS and How Does it Work?

How Low Tire Pressure Affects Your Driving

Recommended Tire Pressure For Your Truck

Final Thoughts

Tire pressure monitoring systems provide modern convenience that lets you use external tools or your vehicle's built-in settings to watch your tires' performance. Since the TPMS system will only notify you about your tire's pressure loss after it lost 25%, it is vital to monitor them regularly.

Maintenances takes time. Checking your tire pressure regularly can in some occasions be annoying. This is why, keeping an eye on your TPMS system is vital. As a result you will gain many benefits: longer lasting tires, fuel economy and safety behind the wheel. 

There might be an opportunity in which a sensor begins to fail. You will notice it because your TPMS is flashing the alarm and your tires are correctly inflated. You need to verify the state of your TPMS and, replace them if need be.