For the second time, Audi’s tyre pressure monitoring system has alerted me to the fact that one or more tyres on the A3 are under-inflated.
It was only when I went to re-inflate them, and discovered that all four tyres were down several PSI on where they should be, that I realised I’d completely misunderstood the point of the technology, mistakenly (and, in hindsight, foolishly) thinking it would warn me as soon as a tyre was a single PSI below its optimum pressure, helping me to keep the car running efficiently and safely.
The Audi system, in fact, is there to tell you when there’s an actual problem – such as an unexpected puncture.
As an informative video I found on YouTube clearly stated, it is “not designed as a substitute for proper tyre maintenance” and only kicks in when it detects “significant” under-inflation.
Although what constitutes ‘significant’ isn’t specified, it can mean, according to Michelin, that a tyre is “typically 20% under-inflated”.
Like the voice-over in the YouTube clip, Michelin too shares concerns that drivers may misunderstand how tyre pressure monitoring systems in general should be used, particularly as from November 2014 all new cars have to be equipped with them.
The bottom line is, check tyre pressures frequently rather than wait for warning symbol to appear, as the tyre firm suggests, and if that light comes in, do what the video advises and “stop as soon as possible”.
