Tyre Pressure Monitors

[sambo]

push the button to set the tyre pressure if you have a new tyre put on or whatever. This set's a record of what the rolling radius should be. If you get a flat then in theory the rolling radius of the tyre will be less so the ABS sensor should notice and flash the light up on the dash.. doesn't often work though by the sounds of it!

[Ess_Three]

Ahh...got ya.
Thanks.

[Wurzel]

Oh that sounds very basic. I was expecting it to tell you if one of your tyres went 1psi out!

[Ess_Three]

I don't know what I expected...but at £35 and coming from VW, I kinda worked out it wouldn't be very much!

[Wurzel]

I don't know what I expected...but at £35 and coming from VW, I kinda worked out it wouldn't be very much!

 

[ub7rm]

except the button is located in the glove box that nobody can see!!

My bad, on the mk5 the button is beside the ESP button near the gear lever, just assumed it would be in the same place.  No point in it at all now...

[adw555]

it worked really well in my mk5 GTI...both times I had a screw in a tyre it sounded the alert and flashed the light in the dash when the pressure had dropped by a slight amount. Was very impressed. Couldn't believe it when the stealer said it was an extra £35 on the mk 6 

[AlanD]

Im pretty sure Audi do an option which will tell you the PSI of the tyre via a sensor but I think its something stupid like £350.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Here's a thing:

You spec the Tyre Pressure Monitoring option,

<Pedant mode on> It is now just called 'flat tyre monitor'  <pedant mode off>

Because the system doesn't actally measure any air pressure, and has repeatedly been proven to be shyte. 

so you get a little light up if you are low on air..

You will only get the light when you are virtually on the rims.  This particular system which VW use only seems to detect any 'problem' when at least 2/3rds of the air pressure has vanished!

.but what happens if you change the wheels to something aftermarket?

Nowt!

Does the light come on if it's not getting a signal?

This particular system only compares rotational speeds from the roadwheel speed sensors (others seem to incorrectly call them 'ABS sensors' - but there is no such thing!  ) - so even if you put four pram wheels on the car, the system will still think all is normal! 

Or remain out?

Yup!

Or do you need to fit the factory supplied Monitor/valves to keep the system happy?

Nope.

Basically I suppose I'm asking, if you want to fit aftermarket wheels at any time in the future, shouls you avoid a car fitted with the Tyre Pressure Monitoring option?

Not an issue with the Golf5/6. 

Anyone know?

HTH 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

What's this?

So it's not automatic?

The system is fully automatic in its operation (providing the system was initially 'set').  But it is just woefully useless.  It is seriously unreliable - and if anyone were to rely on the system, they would be either extremely foolish, or submitting an advance application for the Darwin Awards.

Seriously, this particular system is actually worse than not having any 'TPMS' at all - because peeps think they can rely on it.  Volkswagen should just scrap this system, and whilst they are at it, scrap their inferior ATE ESP system, and use the Bosch system which is considerably better.

Or what's the button for, if not to make it check the pressures?

The button is simply to 'calibrate' the system.  So you should first check and adjust all four tyre pressures (when cold at ambient . . . . ) - and then press the button.  The system then effiectively 'learns and stores' the individual rolling radii of all four wheels - and then uses this as a reference for future alerts.  But the button should not be pressed willy-nilly, like someone on here used to do! 

The button is also used to 'intitate' the system, but this is usually done by the stealer during PDI - but again, there have been reports where they failed to do so!   

I'm confused. Can anyone clarify?

Any help?