Question 1

How do I know a sensor has failed?

Accepted Answer

The tyre pressure warning stays on, or flashes for a minute and then stays on, even when all four tyres are at the right pressure. We can read which sensor has failed with our diagnostic tool.

Question 2

Do I need to replace all four?

Accepted Answer

Usually not. Sensors fail one at a time as their batteries run down, so we replace the one that has gone. If they are all the same age it is worth budgeting for the others over the next year or two.

Question 3

Can you do it when I have new tyres fitted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The tyre is already off the wheel, so it is the ideal time. Book the sensor alongside your tyre fitting or mention it when you arrive.

Question 4

Which sensors do you fit?

Accepted Answer

Original equipment (OE) sensors, or our own aftermarket sensors programmed to your car. We do not fit aftermarket sensors that customers supply.

Question 5

What is TPMS and what does the light mean?

Accepted Answer

TPMS is the tyre pressure monitoring system. A small battery-powered sensor inside each wheel sends the pressure to the car. A steady light means one or more tyres are low: check and inflate them. A light that flashes for a minute or so when you start the car and then stays on means the system itself has a fault, usually a sensor whose battery has run out.

Question 6

Will a TPMS fault fail the MOT?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on cars first used on or after 1 January 2012. A tyre pressure warning showing a system fault is a major defect in the MOT, which is a fail. A light that is on because a tyre is low is also a fail until the pressure is corrected.

Question 7

How much does a TPMS sensor cost?

Accepted Answer

The price per sensor, shown above, covers the sensor, fitting it to the wheel, balancing the wheel and programming it to the car. There is nothing extra to pay.

Question 8

How long do TPMS sensors last?

Accepted Answer

The battery inside a sensor lasts around 5 to 7 years and cannot be replaced, so the whole sensor is replaced when it runs out. On a car of that age it is normal for the sensors to go one after another over a year or two.

Question 9

Can you just turn the warning light off?

Accepted Answer

If a sensor has failed, no. The light comes back as soon as the car looks for the sensor again, and on a 2012-or-later car the fault is an MOT failure.

Question 10

Can you fit sensors to a second set of wheels?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you run winter wheels or have a spare set, we can fit and programme sensors to those wheels, so the light does not come on every time you swap them over.

Question 11

Can I keep driving with the light on?

Accepted Answer

If you have checked the pressures and they are right, the car is safe to drive, and the light is telling you about the system, not the tyres. Get it looked at before the MOT. If you have not checked the pressures, do that first: a steady light can mean a tyre is going down.

TPMS SENSOR REPLACEMENT

HOW IT WORKS

We read the system

We fit the sensor

We programme it

We check it

WHAT’S INCLUDED

HOW TO CHECK YOUR TYRE SIZE AND PRESSURES

WHY CHOOSE OUR TPMS SENSORS?

FAQs about TPMS Sensors

OTHER SERVICES