How does the Tire pressure monitor work ?

[conchflats]

Anyone know how the TPMS works ? How do you put a sensor on a spinning tire .

[zero]

I believe the actual pressure sensor is in the valve stem. I'm not sure how that reading gets to the TPMS. If I had to guess, it is a wireless signal from the valve stem to a receiver located somewhere near the wheel.

Edit: Here is a link from Honda's website
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/...Name=Ridgeline

[delphi7x10]

I know I read somewhere that it is as Rideg say in the stem, but here is what Honda says

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

The Ridgeline features a direct Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Using a series of four sensors and four initiators (one for each tire) and a receiver to capture and relay information, the system alerts the driver when it detects that tire pressure in one or more tires drops significantly below the recommended pressure. The sensor transmitter is located inside the wheel. Should the tires be rotated around the vehicle due to normal maintenance or be replaced entirely, the new tires are "auto-located" by the system. If the system detects that tire pressure is significantly low, a low tire pressure indicator located in the meter containing the fuel level and temperature gauge will come on while a schematic of the vehicle located in the center meter housing the speedometer will indicate which tires are low.
Hope this helps

[swampler]

Does this mean you have to get new tires from Honda to keep the tire pressure monitoring? Or if the valve stem starts leaking, you have to go to Honda????

[Whaleya]

You can get tires anywhere, but for the rims you will have more limited choices if you want to keep TPMS. However, with more and more cars getting pressure sensors, I'm sure the aftermarket will release more rims. The sensor bolts into the rim using an enlarged stem hole. You can see it if you look at the stem on a RL rim.

The auto position seems to work with an antenna in each wheel well.

The spare is not monitored, however since the spare is the least likely tire to have it's air pressure checked, I would have wished it was monitored. A bit of penny pinching on Honda's part... that plus the fact that a full size spare is an costs extra.

[delphi7x10]

Whaleya,

You are right more and more cars getting TPMS, that because it is getting fazed in by law. Starting with either the 2006, or 2007 model year 50% must have it, and all new vehicles by a couple of years later.

Originally Posted by Whaleya

You can get tires anywhere, but for the rims you will have more limited choices if you want to keep TPMS. However, with more and more cars getting pressure sensors, I'm sure the aftermarket will release more rims. The sensor bolts into the rim using an enlarged stem hole. You can see it if you look at the stem on a RL rim.

The auto position seems to work with an antenna in each wheel well.

The spare is not monitored, however since the spare is the least likely tire to have it's air pressure checked, I would have wished it was monitored. A bit of penny pinching on Honda's part... that plus the fact that a full size spare is an costs extra.

[Blue]

My Sienna TPMS uses tire rotation to calculate air pressure and alerts when the pressure loses 20% of pressure. I think it is a better system, but more expensive. Honda system uses electronics and should be able to monitor the spare tire as well.

I saw on PBS AutoWeek there is a air pressure device that you can attach to the stem of the regular tire. When the tire loses 20% of the pressure, a red insert pops up. The host says it is THE most sensible product to buy. It cost around $10 and maybe is good for the spare tire. Does anyone here recommend this product?

I have actually seen a spare tire that is out of air because the owner never checked it. Does anyone check their spare tire air pressure?

IMO, TPMS and bluetooth phone system are 2 safety device that should be standard. TPMS is one of the reason I bought RL.

[vertrkr]

Originally Posted by Blue

My Sienna TPMS uses tire rotation to calculate air pressure and alerts when the pressure loses 20% of pressure. I think it is a better system, but more expensive...

Actually I disagree on both points. The Sienna TPMS uses the ABS sensors which are already in place to measure the rotational velocity. This is much cheaper than Honda's way of doing it since they are tapping into an existing ABS system. It's an indirect inference of the tire pressure, if all 4 tires get low it will never alert you as it notices no difference in velocity between them. Honda has a direct measurement of the actual pressure in each tire which is by far the better system and more accurate.

[jeffro]

Vertrkr is right! Honda's system is the most advanced (and expensive) available today. It has large benefits vs. the ABS sensor type found in most other makes. It is a 'direct' type vs.'indirect'

Here's the suppliers page --> http://www.siemensvdo.com/default.as...=CC_tire_guard

Here is a place to find more info about the legislation regarding TPMS --> http://www.citizen.org/autosafety/nh...tpms/index.cfm

Cheers

[jeffro]

Originally Posted by conchflats

Anyone know how the TPMS works ? How do you put a sensor on a spinning tire .

Conchflats --- Sorry, you did ask how it works.

Here's the Ultra-Nerd explanation --> http://www.sensorsmag.com/articles/1101/40/main.shtml