Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) – All you need to know about

TPMS technology has become a crucial part of vehicles all around the globe. But what exactly is a TPMS, and how does it work? We are going to answer exactly that today.

Are TPMSs Built-In Now?

We can't say for sure that TPMSs are now built-in, but many car manufacturers are quite focused on TPMS. The technology made its way into the automotive industry a couple of decades ago. Considering all the amazing features it has brought with it, the TPMS is now 80% built-in technology.

The scope and possible potential of a TPMS, however, do change depending on the model of the car. But in terms of basic operations and effectiveness, multiple Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems are similar. But we will still advise you to confirm the existence of TPMS in a car that you are going to buy.

TPMS And The Things It Can Do

The first thing a TPMS can do is to indicate the air pressure within tires. Sounds quite simple, right? However, this is the basic feature of a TPMS that is included in all the possible variants of the software.

The more modern TPMS variants involve features like indicating the change in tire pressure as the car moves on a highway. Or even adjusting the tire pressure following the change in environmental temperature.

TPMS And The Things It Can’t Do

The one thing a TPMS can't do precisely is to check and indicate which one of the tires is actually the one misbalancing the tire pressure overall. This a feature that companies have been focusing on a lot in the modern days so a new and improved solution can be presented. But there are other factors than simple technical errors that are causing a blockage in the way.

For example, the TPMS can't indicate whether the tire that is potentially causing an issue, in the end, is the one being used. Or the one that is kept as a spare tire. These are some areas that still need to be addressed by the manufacturers.

Should You Get a TPMS Installed in Your Car?

So, the ultimate question is, should you even get TPMS installed in your car? If your car doesn't come with a built-in TPMS. If you consider the modern-day trends, then yes, it does seem like a great plan.

Plus, the TPMS has gained a reputation for saving lives and countless road accidents. But the installation will greatly depend upon the model of the car you have in your use. If the model is too old, then perhaps not installing the TPMS will be the better idea as the TPMS won't work effectively.

How Does a TPMS Work?

The TPMS is a cool interactive model between software and multiple sensors that provide data to the software. This is probably the easiest-to-understand explanation of a TPMS working model. But things are a bit more complicated than this.

The TPMS technology works based on a centralized model. In other words, all the data gathered from multiple tires gather at one central point before being processed further. This puts the centralized working unit more important than the rest of the TPMS operational unit. Hence any issue with the main processing unit practically means the end for the TPMS.

Reading the TPMS Indicators.

Depending on the type of car you have in the first place, the TPMS indicators may vary. The marking in multiple number forms like the 'CXXPKAA' may indicate different terminologies or conditions. In any case, you will have to see the user manual of the TPMS to know for sure what the markings are indicating.

However, in any case, if the TPMS check light is on, it means that one of the tires doesn't even have air pressure. Should you be checking the air pressure immediately? It would be better if you would.

Possible Pro of using a TPMS

We have heard a lot about the benefits of a TPMS and why you should get one. But let's conclude. What is the one pro of TPMS that makes it so crucial and unique? Well, we asked experts the same question and finally got an answer.

It is the very ability of the TPMS to indicate any kind of misbalance in the tire air pressure. We understand that this feature may seem like totally normal, but again this is what laid down the foundation of modern-day TPMSs.

Things to Сonsider

• Installing the TPMS yourself

  Okay, so your thinking about installing the TPMS yourself? That's a great initiative and will only seem to work if all the hardware foundation is laid down already. Make sure you know the compatibility model of the TPMS you are trying to install concerning your car's very own computerized model.

• TPMS maintenance

  As important as it is, very few individuals out there care about TPMS maintenance in the first place. The TPMS doesn't only require maintenance in the software division but in the hardware division as well, considering that data will be gathered through sensors in the first place.

• Keeping a check on the spare tire

  We have mentioned this earlier as well. Most TPMS models in the market today still can't locate the tire having issues with the air pressure. This indicates that even the spare tire can turn the TPMS indicator on.

• Diagnosing the TPMS errors

  The TPMS, like any monitoring or safety system, is not 100% accurate. There will always be areas with a solid percentage of an error on the TPMS end. That is why it is important to identify if there is an actual issue or if the TPMS is simply not working correctly.

Final Note

If we look at the TPMS as a technology that has helped prevent so many road accidents over time, everything is absolutely spot on. However, there are still areas that need a lot of improvement so that accuracy can be built within the TPMS suites throughout the globe.