Regulation of the European Parliament and the requirement for tire pressure monitoring systems.
It has been over 10 years since the Parliament and the European Council adopted regulation related to the mandatory fitting of motor vehicles (not all) with a tire pressure monitoring system.
As a result, vehicles receiving type approval after 2011, or manufactured from 2014 onwards, must be equipped with TPMS. This solution is potentially beneficial for the environment, as firstly, driving with too low pressure leads to faster tire wear, and secondly, it may alert the driver in advance of a sudden drop in pressure, which could prevent tire damage.
The task of the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) systems used in cars is to continuously monitor tire pressure. I explain the purpose of this and how it works in the following part of the article.
Tire pressure sensor.
What's it about?
In a direct tire pressure monitoring system, a specialized sensor is used, which is installed inside the wheel.
It allows for precise readings of pressure values. Using radio waves, this measurement is sent to the car's onboard computer.
This type of TPMS is powered by a battery, which affects its lifespan. The average operating period is about 7 years from activation.
Depending on the car model, two types of TPMS systems are used. We divide them into indirect and direct systems.
The first one does not have a physical pressure sensor located in the wheel. It receives calculations from the ABS sensors based on potential differences in the rotation of all wheels. When one of the wheels experiences a drop in pressure, it will start rotating faster than the others.
At that point, a warning light will illuminate on the dashboard. This is a signal to check our wheels as soon as possible to avoid any costs associated with such damage, which may only result in the need for new tires.
Two types of tire pressure monitoring systems
Are pressure sensors needed when changing tires?
No. Traditional seasonal tire changes do not affect the need for an additional set of sensors.
A new pressure sensor is only needed in the case of a direct system, and only if we want to order, for example, the installation of a second set of wheels, or if one of the installed ones needs to be replaced.
Does my car have pressure sensors? How can I check this?
The factory system applied in the vehicle can be checked in the configuratorprovided by the German Tire Industry Association BRV.
Simply select your vehicle model from the search engine, and we will receive the relevant information. However, it should be noted that this database contains only factory data.
If we are unsure whether our vehicle has been modified in this regard - we should not rely on it.
The price of the service is usually influenced by a greater amount of work or the purchase of additional specialized tools for their handling.
The same applies when changing tires with a wheel equipped with a sensor. The technician must perform the task much more carefully to avoid any potential mechanical damage.
This prolongs the tire change time. For this reason, tire service centers generally charge more for the cost of tire replacement.
Why is changing tires with a direct TPMS system more expensive?
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