Why you should check your tyre pressure system after a wheel change

BERLIN: All new cars have tyre-pressure monitoring systems - and cars are fitted with one of two different systems. Whatever your car has, after a wheel change, you're well advised to make sure everything is as it should be.

Once you change the wheels, you'll need to check the tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is working as it should, according to the safety experts at inspection agency TÜV.

Direct TPMS systems use sensors to monitor pressure and temperature directly in the tyre, and that information is transmitted to a central control unit.

Sometimes maintenance is needed for those sensors, and parts that are subject to lots of wear and tear, such as valve caps, may need to be replaced. And sometimes, the car needs to undergo a relearning process.

Sensors also may outlast their batteries' service life, which is usually around five years - in which case, the sensors should be replaced. A specialist garage should be able to tell you how long the batteries are likely to last.

The other kind of tyre-pressure monitoring system is indirect, and uses wheel speed sensors that are part of driving aids such as antilock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability programme, or ESP.

If your car has this type of system, the TPMS will need to be adjusted after a wheel change. The car owner's manual should contain instructions about how to do this. TPMS systems are mandatory for new cars in many countries.