Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Tire Pressure Monitors Do More Than Monitor Pressures - 2015 BMW M235i Convertible Long-Term Test
Edmunds.com
Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
Tire Pressure Monitors Do More Than Monitor Pressures - 2015 BMW M235i Convertible Long-Term Road Test
Our long-term 2015 BMW M235i has an elegant way to display variance in tire pressures. It also won't let you have any fun until it's sure the tires are up to code.
0
Comments
I guess that system isn't available on the M4. Too bad for this guy:
http://jalopnik.com/how-not-to-explain-why-you-crashed-your-car-via-this-b-1677523538
More and more, the correct answer is...buy a good gauge that is calibrated correctly...or get one with a calibration cert, if you're fussy. Use this gauge to periodically (and no, not once every six months...) and seasonally (when the weather changes, check and reset...don't wait for TPMS to go off) check and set tire pressures...when they are cold.
There - now you know it's done correctly and that on any given trip you take, the tire pressures are where they should be.
I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
What's the problem?
I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
What are you talking about, HAL?
This car is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
About 20% of posts state their TPMS sensors were all, generally, correct, compared to a handheld gauge; another 15% said theirs were all about 1 psi low; another 30% said theirs were around 2 psi low; and 35% said they had one or more that was 3-5 psi lower than the gauge, and/or 3-5 psi lower than the other sensors. Almost none said their sensors read high. I tossed out those who specifically stated that the handheld gauge was "cheap" or "inexpensive" or the like. The people who said they used an expensive competition or balancing-type gauge almost uniformly said their TPMS sensors were around 2 psi low.
I would like to see Edmunds invest in such a balancing-type gauge, and report deviation between its readings and the vehicles' TPMS readings, per wheel, as part of their performance testing results. They are already adjusting pressures before testing; querying the car's monitoring systems at that time and noting the results would take no more than a few extra minutes per test.
Interestingly, I found a piece by Edmunds' own Ron Montoya on TPMS when I was doing this "research" - including this conclusion:
"Rely on TPMS to warn you only of a puncture or an active air leak. If you take away only one thing from this article, this should be it: It's your responsibility as a driver to check your tire pressures monthly, or at least have them checked by someone else."
It does not appear that Edmunds is following its own published advice with regards to its LT fleet.