Support TPMS with regular checks – TyreSafe

TyreSafe is reminding drivers not to rely solely on tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) to ensure their tyre safety. While this valued technology has been proven to improve road safety by advising of a change in tyre pressure, drivers need to check their TPMS is working and be aware that it does not warn drivers of the condition of their tyres nor the amount of tread depth.

Vehicles first used after 1 January 2012 and equipped with a TPMS fitted by the vehicle manufacturer must have a functioning system to pass the MoT test. While typically reliable, drivers do need to check their car’s TPMS to ensure it’s working on a regular basis as the system can fail and batteries in the wheel-mounted sensors can run out.

TPMS is now mandatory on all new cars sold and to check it’s working, drivers need to ensure the TPMS symbol comes on with all the other warning lights when the ignition key is turned and goes out after the engine starts. Any alerts displayed by the system should not be ignored and, if in doubt, the advice of a tyre professional should be sought.

Regrettably, too many drivers are ignoring the warning lights as the number of MoT failures due to faulty TPMS systems rose by over 200 per cent between 2015 and 2016.

In fact, defective tyres account for over a quarter of all MoT failures, strongly suggesting drivers need to pay more attention to other essential tyre checks which TPMS cannot alert them to. Those include checking the tyre for visible damage and that the tread depth is above the minimum legal limit of 1.6mm

Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “The introduction of TPMS was a valuable step forward in tyre safety but drivers should be more aware of it and the warnings it is capable of producing. Tyre Safety Month is the ideal time to learn exactly what it does so you don’t rely on it to warn you of defects it simply cannot detect. Don’t have a Bad Air Day, double-check your TPMS system is working as it should.”

For more information on tyre checks and to prepare for the test, visit tyresafe.org.