WHAT ARE TPMS SENSORS ?
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Sensorsare small radio transmitters that are installed in the rim of many new Honda’s. On equipped vehicles, each rimhas a TPMS sensor that constantly monitors the air pressure of the installed tire. If the TPMS sensor detects that the air pressure has dropped below 25% of its recommended value, a signal is sent to the vehicle’s computer that triggers a warning light .
Low tire pressure can be caused by many things.For instance, as the weather gets colder, the pressure in your tires will decrease. Adjusting your tire pressure for the different seasons is one way to maximize tire life, and save money at the gas pump.
The TPMS system in your car can also alert you to a potential tire failure, either due to a puncture or a slow leak. Regardless of the cause, low tire pressure can decrease vehicle performance, which can affect both your pocketbook, and your safety. In summary, TPMS sensors provide useful feedback about the air pressure in a vehicle’s tires. Combined with routine monitoring, they can assist in maximizing tire life and fuel economy.
If your Honda vehicle came equipped with a TPMS system, the computer in your vehicle is constantly gathering data from the sensors in each wheel. When the computer no longer receives a signal, it assumes that the transmitter has malfunctioned. As a safety precaution, any vehicle equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) will have the system permanently engaged. While this helps ensure your vehicle remains on the road in adverse conditions, it can limit your ability to escape snow covered driveways or
parking lots where wheel spin can assist. Other vehicle systems will continue to function as normal, including your ABS brakes and
all-wheel drive. Please be sure to follow your Honda dealer’s suggestion to install TPMS sensors when you purchase winter tires and wheels. Without them, your vehicle is not operating the way it was designed to by the manufacturer
