How does the new Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) work?
Tire pressure monitoring systems continuously monitor the pressure in the tires through sensors located in the tires (direct system) or the use of wheel speed and other vehicle sensors (indirect system). The information collected by the sensors is transmitted to an on-board processor that interprets the sensor signals and warns the driver when tire pressure is below the minimum acceptable level by illuminating a warning lamp. Q: When will the new TPMS be available? A: The U.S. government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, requires that all passenger cars, light trucks and vans (Gross weight less than 10,000 pounds) be equipped with a TPMS starting in model year 2008. Due to a phase-in of the requirements, 20 percent of model year 2006 and 70 percent of model year 2007 vehicles are equipped with TPMS. Q: What does it mean if the TPMS warning lamp illuminates? A: When the TPMS warning lamp on the instrument panel illuminates while driving, it means that the syst
