If you’ve been driving your car for a while and start getting a “Tire Pressure Sensor Fault” message on the dashboard, it’s time to take a look at your tires. Over time, the rubber in your tires can wear away, which can lead to the sensor reading inaccurate pressure levels. In some cases, this can be corrected by replacing the tire!
What is a Tire Pressure Sensor?
A tire pressure sensor is a small electronic device that measures the air pressure in a tire. When the vehicle’s computer detects that the tire pressure is low, it will activate the warning light on the instrument panel and/or sound an alarm.
There are several potential causes for a tire pressure sensor to go wrong, including:
– A broken or loose wire connecting the sensor to the vehicle’s computer
– A clogged or corroded sensor
– A defective gauge that reads incorrectly
How Does the TPMS Work?
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is a technology in automobiles that monitors the air pressure in your tires and sends an advisory to the vehicle’s Control Module when the air pressure in a tire falls below a preset value.
TPMS is designed to help prevent dangerous tire blowouts, by monitoring the air pressure in each tire and notifying the vehicle’s Control Module if one of the tires drops below the designated threshold. In most cases, TPMS will also activate a warning light on the instrument panel to warn you that your tires are low on air.
If you experience any adverse effects from having low tire pressure, such as decreased fuel economy or trouble starting your car, it’s important to check your TPMS system and replace any affected tires as soon as possible.
What to Do If Your Tire Pressure Sensor Says It’s Faulty
If you’re experiencing strange tire pressure readings or your car says the pressure sensor is faulty, here’s what to do:
1. If your car is new or has recently been rebuilt, have the sensors replaced. The sensor is located on the outside of the wheel and can often go bad.
2. If you’re experiencing low tire pressure, first make sure all of your air shocks are functioning properly by filling them up with air and checking for leaks. Next, pump up the tires as much as possible using a manual compressor or an Air Pump & Inflator Kit. Finally, check for any obvious damage to the tire or wheel that may be causing it to malfunction.
3. If none of these solutions work, your car may need a new tire pressure sensor.
How to Fix a Tire Pressure Sensor Fault
If your car is telling you that a tire pressure sensor fault is causing the low tire pressure warning, there are a few things you can do to try and fix the issue.
1. Check the air pressure in all of your tires. Make sure that they are all at the same pressure before proceeding.
2. If the air pressure is correct, but the warning persists, check for a clogged or broken PSF. A broken PSF will cause incorrect readings from your TPMS, so if this is the issue, it’s likely that you’ll need to replace the sensor.
3. If neither of those options work, then it might be time to have a mechanic inspect your car for other issues that could be contributing to low tire pressure warnings.
Conclusion
If you’re experiencing a problem with your car’s tire pressure sensor, it’s important to take action and have the sensor checked as soon as possible. By doing so, you can avoid potential injuries and ensure that your car is running at its best. If you don’t know how to check the sensor or if it’s already been checked and there are still problems, be sure to get in touch with a mechanic who is familiar with checking this type of device.