TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS
TPMS – THERE ’ S A LAW FOR THAT
Let ’ s start with what is “ standard ” for manufacturer TPMS requirements .
The Transportation Recall Enhancement , Accountability and Documentation ( TREAD ) Act went into effect as of September 1 , 2007 . A warning system , or Tire Pressure Monitoring System ( TPMS ), must be included in all passenger cars and light trucks - under 10,000 lbs . GVW ( Gross Vehicle Weight ).
The TREAD Act ( via Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 138 ) requires original car manufacturers to equip all new vehicles with :
• Monitoring of tire pressure in all four tires ( but not the spare tire )
• A TPMS system that operates when the vehicle ignition is on and warns the driver when tires are underinflated by 25 % or more
• A TPMS system that alerts the driver when there is a system malfunction
• A TPMS warning light that stays on until the tire is inflated to the correct pressure or the malfunction is corrected
• A “ bulb check ” of the warning light on the instrument panel that occurs whenever the ignition is turned on
• Vehicle owner ’ s manuals with warnings about potentially incompatible replacement tires
Three serious points to be aware of :
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The dash light may be the first and only warning you receive from the manufacturer ’ s TPMS installation if or when you have a tire that is underinflated by 25 % or more . Other types of warning , like alarms and sirens , are vehicle / manufacturer dependent .
It is entirely possible your RV does not have this feature at all . Very few travel trailers and older motorhomes will have any sort of TPMS - unless it was installed afterward by owners . *
Not all Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems are the same . There is a significant difference between what a factory-installed TPMS and a third-party TPMS upgrade can do for you and your rig .
The Act only stipulates the TPMS must monitor for ( very ) low tire pressure and activate a dash light . Whereas , an add-on TPMS can expand the information with constant pressure readings on each tire individually , tire temperatures and even high tire pressure . With constant monitoring and feedback , you are also able to notice the speed of changes and investigate fast leaks .
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