TPMS Alerts

[sashpe]

Hi, there. Back in September, driving on a perfectly straight road I got a message for a flat tire. Oddly enough, after inspection (initial and in the closest petrol station) I found no change in pressure in any of the wheels. I did a reset of the TPM System and forgot about it. In December when I put on my winter wheels I found my summer tires had excessive wear on the inside. Quickly had a wheel alignment where the guy told me my suspension might be worn out so we agreed to have another alignment in a few months to see how quickly the wheels misalign.

Few days ago, still with my winter tires on, I got the flat tire message again and again there was no problem with tire pressures. This got me thinking if these flat tire messages were not an error, as I initially though, but an indication of wheel alignment issues. I know I cannot be certain unless I check the wheel alignment again but still... If that is the case, then I will need to have my suspension checked before I ruin my winter tires.

What do you think? Could the TPMS be so sensitive to detect change in camber or wheel misalignment?

[Roy_01]

If it's detecting a failure in your alignment then there is something wrong with your car. What you have recognized yourself. The indirect tmps detects a pressure drop by calculating the rpm of all the wheels with the abs sensor. When it's deflating the speed of this wheel will be higher then the others. It also learns the car caracteristics when driving in turns. So there is a possibility that a fault in the alignment will mess up the tpms and creates a warning signal.

[sashpe]

The car feels as normal, or in other words fantastic. Lately, a strange little knocking has developed in the front but only in very specific cases and road conditions. It is nothing major since everyone I give a ride to says I am imagining but...it is another reason I think my susp is going.

The cars in for a service in a couple of weeks and I will probably ask VW to inspect. Apart from wheel alignment, I don't know if they can SEE a problem or they will need to DRIVE it.