Tire pressure monitoring systems keep a constant watch on vehicle tire pressures, alerting the driver to both sudden or gradual tire pressure loss. In the case of a sudden change, like a blowout or puncture
...Read More
Tire pressure monitoring systems keep a constant watch on vehicle tire pressures, alerting the driver to both sudden or gradual tire pressure loss. In the case of a sudden change, like a blowout or puncture, that information can help avoid accidents. Monitoring gradual losses and slow leaks can drivers get the longest life out of a set of tires by identifying issues that lead to increased wear.
These systems first appeared on the exotic Porsche 959 in 1986, but they weren’t commonplace until the late 1990s and not legally required until 2007. Since then, a variety of aftermarket solutions have appeared to provide cars without factory-equipped systems with the same capability.
Factory tire pressure monitoring systems have sensors in the wheels of the cars that communicate with onboard computers through the vehicle’s wiring. Aftermarket systems simplify things by using sensors in valve stem caps. Swap out the valve stem caps, install the monitors and that’s it. An aftermarket tire pressure monitoring system can actually be better than some basic factory systems, which only activate a warning light when tire pressure drops. All five of these top-rated TPMS give a driver real-time pressure readings.
Read Less
