Tire Pressure "On-Board Sensor" accuracy vs.

[ExMachina]

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: Installed on newer cars for a while now. Some actually show you the tire pressure PSI for each tire on the dash, very typical for about 4 years or so now. (Before that, many just had threshold low-pressure warning lights only.)

Accuracy stinks on mine. GM, 2011, the dash reads 3 psi less than three other hand gauges (each of different construction, types, one is a digital talking tire gauge, love that one).
Have you ever compared the accuracy of your on-board sensor system to your hand gauges? At first, I just thought the hand gauge was off calibration, then finally got a hold of 2 more hand guages of different brands/types, and they all agreed to within 1 psi, quite good. But not with the on-board sensor.... You'd think the sensor would be more right.
I was careful to get steady-state pressure after driving a while, and also checked cold in the garage, and its 3 psi off. Each and every tire is off 3 psi.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

My Cadillac STS shows the pressure for each tire, and it's within a pound of what my digital gauge reads-my digital gauge reads 1/10ths, so my gauge may say 31.6 and the pressure monitor for that tire may read 32.

I've checked with both the digital and analog gauges and everything is within a pound of what the tire pressure monitor reads.

 

[ExMachina]

Pop_Rivit, I was afraid of that. My sensors, all 4 of them, are badly calibrated. Yours are fine, although wonder if another different brand gauge would agree with yours???? GM punks, or whatever company they used to source the TPMS sensors! Oh well, if one knows what the calibration error is, I can do the math... counting using my pinky maybe...

 

[Quattro Pete]

Sounds like you just got a bad one.

On one hand, I'm jealous our cars don't actually display the PSI. On the other hand, I'm glad I don't have to deal with physical sensors when swapping wheels/tires.

 

[Bgallagher]

The check on my Terrain is within 1 PSI from my gauge. I'll take it lol.

Speaking of PSI, Brady to zero games!

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
Speaking of PSI, Brady to zero games!

Brady should have claimed in the first place that he used my car's TPMS sensors. I could tell the judge and the NFL it was 3 psi off, and no scandal would have happened.... problem solved....

 

[bdcardinal]

The system in my Mustang and my mom's Fusion is absolutely terrible. All it does is turn a light on, it will not tell the tire that is low or any PSI reading.

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
The system in my Mustang and my mom's Fusion is absolutely terrible. All it does is turn a light on, it will not tell the tire that is low or any PSI reading.
Yeah, showing the numbers on the dash is better.
A lot of people complain that in winter, the thing goes off because its cold outside, and thats true, but it still is good to warn them to put a couple more pounds in there. Problem always is, a tire loses about 1 psi pressure for each 10 deg F temperature change, so if the high yesterday was 50 deg F, then overnight it got down to 20 deg F, not untypical, then your tire is down 7 psi and will annoy you with a warning.

 

[Nate1979]

My 2012 Silverdo is within ~1psi when I check with gauge.

 

[Traction]

The aftermarket sensors on my 97 corvette, are pretty much right on, checking with a $300 Intercomp digital gauge. The biggest TPMS problem, is too many people rely on it on cars where it just turn on a light, and by then they are way too low!!!

 

[zrxkawboy]

I've noticed on my '07 Silverado that the TPMS sensors are up to 2 psi different from the gauge.

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: Traction
The aftermarket sensors on my 97 corvette, are pretty much right on, checking with a $300 Intercomp digital gauge. The biggest TPMS problem, is too many people rely on it on cars where it just turn on a light, and by then they are way too low!!!

Some cars allow you to set where the lower threshold of the low-pressure alarm is at. My BMW doesn't but newer models do.
Wow, a $300 tire gauge, something typically used in racing. Hey, my RadioShack talking tire gauge can speak Spanish or English! So there.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina
Originally Posted By: Traction
The aftermarket sensors on my 97 corvette, are pretty much right on, checking with a $300 Intercomp digital gauge. The biggest TPMS problem, is too many people rely on it on cars where it just turn on a light, and by then they are way too low!!!

Some cars allow you to set where the lower threshold of the low-pressure alarm is at. My BMW doesn't but newer models do.
Wow, a $300 tire gauge, something typically used in racing. Hey, my RadioShack talking tire gauge can speak Spanish or English! So there.


Intercomp = intended for racing. For my next stupid purchase, I want to get their scales.

 

[czbrian]

The TPMS on my Volt is always within +-1 of my cheapo gauges. I like being able to see the pressure of each tire on the display especially after I've ran over some kind of debris on the road.

 

[Traction]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: ExMachina
Originally Posted By: Traction
The aftermarket sensors on my 97 corvette, are pretty much right on, checking with a $300 Intercomp digital gauge. The biggest TPMS problem, is too many people rely on it on cars where it just turn on a light, and by then they are way too low!!!

Some cars allow you to set where the lower threshold of the low-pressure alarm is at. My BMW doesn't but newer models do.
Wow, a $300 tire gauge, something typically used in racing. Hey, my RadioShack talking tire gauge can speak Spanish or English! So there.


Intercomp = intended for racing. For my next stupid purchase, I want to get their scales.

Being a little OCD, I bought it as a master gauge. Temp/altitude compensated to .1 psi. I would love to have some weight scales though. Only way to balance a car! Everyday on the highway is a race for safety.

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: Traction

Being a little OCD, I bought it as a master gauge. I would love to have some weight scale though. Only way to balance a car! Everyday on the highway is a race for safety.

We 'need' a strain gauge for weight in a hydraulic floor jack. Jack up the rear, take a reading, jack up the front, take a reading.

 

[Traction]

I do know, even if you are quick. You lose .1 psi every time you check your pressurel

 

[oldhp]

My 2014 RAM 1500 & 2012 Equinox both show exactly 2 lbs less than my el'cheapo pencil type and my liquid filled good tire PSI gauges..........or both tire gauges show 2 lbs more.....IDK.

 

[hattaresguy]

The pressures in my Ram are right on and it tells you the pressure of each tire as well which is nice.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
The pressures in my Ram are right on and it tells you the pressure of each tire as well which is nice.


Yup, same with my Charger.