So why all the fuss?\u00a0 Is a TPMS just another set of lights to keep an eye on when you\u2019re driving.\u00a0 Can you ignore them at all?\u00a0 The short answer is: NO.<\/p>\n
Seriously underinflated tyres run the risk of becoming so hot that they can burst.\u00a0 Seen all those burst tyre remnants along the road in the hotter bits of the country?\u00a0 Possibly, underinflation was the cause (other reasons exist, but we won\u2019t get into them here) Underinflated tyres take longer to stop in a braking situation, and you can guess the results of that.\u00a0 Also, under hard cornering, the integrityof the underinflated tyre wall becomes softer and less rigid, meaning that the tread pattern loses its optimum contact with the road.<\/p>\n
From another perspective, driving with seriously underinflated tyres will negatively affect the fuel efficiency of your car, as well as how your tyre wears over time.\u00a0 So it is true: check your tyre pressures regularly, and you\u2019ll save on fuel costs, the tyres will last longer and you\u2019ll be enhancing your safety and the safety of other motorists around you.<\/p>\n
How do TPMSs work?\u00a0 A standard TPMS uses radio frequency technology to transmit pressure data and other information to the vehicle’s ECU.<\/p>\n
Kwik Fit surveys (Kwik Fit is based in the UK) suggest that 68% of cars on European roads have underinflated tyres.\u00a0 With these sort of results, the new EU law should be very helpful in making Europe\u2019s roads a lot safer.\u00a0 However, on the lighter side, the same survey found that not everyone with a TPMS in their car knows what the warning light means.\u00a0 Some thought it meant the coolant was overheating (34% of those surveyed), while others thought it was warning them about a cattle-stop grid on the road ahead.<\/p>\n
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