There are two types of tyre pressure monitoring systems(TPMS): direct and indirect. Indirect TPMS doesn’t actually measure your tyre pressure; instead it uses secondary information like wheel rotation speed from your vehicle’s ABS sensors or other sensors. From this information, indirect TPMS can compute relative pressure of your tyres, though these computations may be affected by other information like road surface or driving speed.
Direct TPMS, like Safe-T-Tyre involves physical pressure sensors that attach to each wheel, directly monitoring the pressure in each tyre. Direct TPMS is more accurate, and with the Safe-T-Tyre system, it’s easy to install and set up. The pressure sensors are pre-programmed to save you hassle, and is compatible with cars, caravans, and other vehicles.
Is my vehicle already equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system?
Most new cars (manufactured in the past 5-10 years) are equipped with a TPMS, with some regions introducing laws to make the inclusion of TPMS mandatory in new cars. However, it is important to note that larger vehicles, like trucks, caravans and motor homes, are not subject to these regulations, and are less likely to come with a TPMS. If you are unsure whether your vehicle has a TPMS, you can check the owner’s manual. Furthermore, the pre-market TPMS systems may be less accurate than aftermarket models like Safe-T-Tyre, and also may have a limited lifespan with non-replaceable batteries.
What does it mean when the TPMS light comes on?
When the TPMS light comes on, that means that your tyres are either under-inflated or overinflated. If you’re surprised by how they could be suddenly overinflated, it’s because of how pressure responds to temperature. Whichever it is, you should either let some air out or put some back in (as appropriate) at the next available opportunity.
