TPMS Without the Sensor in the Tire

Posted on 16 November 2017 Print

As of 2007 federal law required that vehicles be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Most vehicles have a TPMS sensor located in tire that senses and reports the pressure of each tire. However, Honda has done away with this system on some of their models. Let’s take a look at this other system and what we need to know about it.

The newer system eliminates the sensors inside of the tire, and instead uses an already existing wheel speed sensor to monitor the tires pressure. Changes in tire pressure are determined by differences in wheel speed. The diameter of the tire shrinks as the pressure lowers, causing wheel speed to increase. This change in wheel speed is notices by the wheel speed sensor which turns on the low tire pressure light.

For this system to work properly, the vehicle needs to learn a starting point. The vehicle needs to know what a tire, that is properly inflated, feels like when driving. So, calibration needs to be completed to teach the vehicle. Calibration also needs to be done any time the tire pressures are adjusted, or when the tires are rotated, or replaced. The calibration procedure requires that the tires be inflated to the proper pressure and then the vehicle be driven for a period of time at a specified speed. Depending on the model there may be additional events that will require a calibration to be completed.

Honda/Acura vehicle-specific body repair manuals can be found at: www.techinfo.honda.com

For additional Honda/Acura information, check out the following pages:
Honda OEM Information
Acura OEM Information

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