Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)

Tyre pressure might not be something you think about every day, but it has a big impact on your car’s safety, fuel economy and handling. That’s why modern cars are fitted with tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) — a built‑in safety feature designed to warn you when a tyre needs attention before it becomes a bigger problem.

The TPMS warning light is typically an orange tyre‑section symbol with an exclamation mark. You’ll usually see it briefly when you turn on the ignition. It should go out within a few seconds of the engine running. If it doesn’t, it’s time to check your pressures.

Start by confirming the correct pressures for your car — you’ll usually find them on a label inside the driver’s door jamb or on the fuel‑filler flap. Check pressures when the tyres are cool, ideally before driving or a couple of hours after. Adjust them to match the figures on the label, choosing the setting that best suits how you’re using the car (lightly loaded, fully-loaded etc.).

If one or more tyres read particularly low, keep an eye on them manually for a couple of days to see if the pressure drops again. And if you don’t have your own gauge or pump — or the whole thing feels like a faff — just drop in and we’ll check and adjust your pressures for free.

Once the pressures are correct, your car may need to be driven a short distance to recognise the new values, or you may need to confirm the setting manually through the car’s menu system. Your handbook will explain which applies. In most cases, this simple check, adjust and reset will put the warning light out.

If the light goes out only to return, you may have a puncture or a fault within the TPMS system itself. There are two types of TPMS:

• Direct – sensors in the wheels measure actual tyre pressure

• Indirect – the ABS wheel‑speed sensors detect changes caused by underinflation

Direct TPMS is far more accurate, and around 60% of TPMS‑equipped cars use it. Manufacturers commonly using direct systems include BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes, Toyota and Vauxhall.

Direct sensors run on internal batteries that typically last between five and ten years. As a result, there are now plenty of cars on the road with ageing sensors that are failing, triggering warning lights and even causing MoT failures. Main dealers tend to charge heavily for replacements, and many tyre depots and garages can’t replace or recode sensors at all.

New Forest Tyres can.

We now supply, fit and recode direct TPMS sensors for £75 + VAT per wheel, or £55 + VAT per wheel when fitted with a new tyre.

And before you spend a penny, New Forest Tyres will carry out a free TPMS sensor check and report — some places charge £60 or more for this simple service.

If your car is giving you TPMS aggro, pop in to New Forest Tyres and let us take a look.