M
ECHANIC CONNECTION By Gary Goms, commercial accounts editor
The market for replacement TPMS sensors will likely grow very quickly in the near future as more TPMS sensors must be replaced due to battery failures.
Understanding TPMS hile the idea of monitoring tire pressures isn’t new, it certainly gained momentum during the early 1990s when the Ford Explorer, a mid-sized sport utility vehicle, began experiencing a number of serious accidents caused by blown-out tires. Suffice it to say that many accidents involved driving a heavily-loaded, high roll-center vehicle at sustained highway speeds on under-inflated tires. Auto manufacturers responded by introducing tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) on their high-end vehicles to help prevent accidents caused by incorrectly inflated tires. By the 2008 model year, TPMS was being installed as standard equipment on all production passenger and light truck vehicles.
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How TPMS Works The basic concept of TPMS includes replacing the conventional valve stem located in the wheel with a small, battery-powered pressure sensor and radio transmitter that is activated as the wheel begins to rotate. Once activated, the TPMS sensor will cause a warning light to illuminate on the instrument cluster if the tire air pressure is incorrect. Depending upon miles driven, the integral battery is designed to last between five and 10 years. The TPMS sensor is generally made of aluminum and held in place by an anodized aluminum nut sealed against leakage by rubber grommets. The TPMS sensor is
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October 2013 | Counterman