Is the Car's Tire Pressure Monitoring Accurate?
2 Answers
Car tire pressure monitoring values are very accurate and operate in real-time, capable of immediately detecting if a tire is leaking. Tire pressure monitoring automatically and continuously checks the air pressure in the tires while driving, alerting the driver to leaks or low pressure to ensure driving safety. There are three commonly used methods for tire pressure monitoring: Direct Tire Pressure Monitoring: Direct tire pressure monitoring devices use pressure sensors installed in each tire to directly measure the tire's air pressure. The pressure information is then transmitted from inside the tire to a central receiver module via a wireless transmitter, where the data for each tire's pressure is displayed. The system automatically alerts the driver if the tire pressure is too low or if there is a leak. Indirect Tire Pressure Monitoring: When the pressure in a tire decreases, the vehicle's weight causes the rolling radius of that tire to become smaller, making it rotate faster than the other wheels. By comparing the differences in rotation speed between the tires, the system monitors the tire pressure. Indirect tire pressure monitoring systems essentially rely on calculating the rolling radius of the tires to monitor air pressure. Introduction to Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS): TPMS combines the advantages of both systems mentioned above. It equips direct sensors in two diagonally opposite tires and includes a 4-wheel indirect system. Compared to using only direct systems, this hybrid system can reduce costs and overcome the indirect system's inability to detect when multiple tires simultaneously have low pressure. However, it still cannot provide real-time data on the actual pressure in all four tires as a direct system does.
I've driven quite a few cars and found that the tire pressure monitoring system is mostly accurate, but it's not foolproof. My current car uses a direct TPMS with sensors installed inside the tires for real-time pressure measurement, offering fast data updates and high precision, usually with less than 2% error. However, during long highway trips, I've encountered significant temperature fluctuations causing reading fluctuations—false alarms that turned out to be nothing upon inspection, only to later learn it was due to the sensor's battery running low. These systems are highly affected by environmental factors; for example, in winter, sudden temperature drops may cause readings to appear low, only to normalize once the tires warm up. So, you can't rely entirely on automatic alerts. I recommend manually checking with a tire pressure gauge every quarter to prevent potential leaks—safe driving should always come first. If frequent inaccuracies occur, it's time to replace the sensor or have it recalibrated at the shop, as tire health directly impacts handling and fuel efficiency.
