Suspension, steering, brakes and wheels
Problems of the tyre pressure sensors: symptoms, cost and affected models
We have documented 7 faults of the tyre pressure sensors in 7 cars. The most important by severity and frequency: front brake hose damaged by the routing of the electric brake or tyre pressure monitoring wiring (Iveco Daily VI), inaccurate tyre pressure warning caused by incorrect ESC coding (Fiat Doblò III) and incorrect calibration of the indirect tyre pressure monitoring (Toyota ProAce City).
How it works and why it fails
Tyre pressure sensors
The tyre pressure monitoring system warns when a wheel is losing air. It can measure pressure with a sensor inside each wheel, powered by its own battery, or estimate it from the ABS wheel-speed sensors. Battery-powered sensors have a limited life.
What to do
If the tyre pressure warning comes on with the tyres properly inflated, it may be a sensor with a flat battery, one damaged when a tyre was changed, or one not reprogrammed after a wheel change. Ask the garage to check it with diagnostic equipment before replacing sensors.
General explanation by MotorFiable. The specific faults of each engine and car, with their sources, are on the linked pages.
Common symptoms
The symptoms that come up most often in the documented faults of the tyre pressure sensors. Open each one to see what other faults cause it.
Problems of the tyre pressure sensors by car
Faults documented on specific cars, which occur with any engine. From most to least important.
- 1High severityFrequency: OccasionalIveco Daily VIFront brake hose damaged by the routing of the electric brake or tyre pressure monitoring wiringIveco checked 1,547 Dailies built between May 2019 and April 2022 in 2022 because the front left brake hose could be damaged by the routing of the pipes or the wiring of the EPB or TPMS optional equipment, leading to a gradual loss of braking efficiency.
- 2Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalFiat Doblò IIIInaccurate tyre pressure warning caused by incorrect ESC codingA 2026 recall covers 386 Doblòs built between 28 December 2023 and 7 March 2024: incorrect coding of the stability control (ESC) distorts the tyre pressure warning, which may fail to warn, warn late or warn for no reason.
- 3Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalToyota ProAce CityIncorrect calibration of the indirect tyre pressure monitoringA Toyota campaign (CI25-037) covers ProAce City built between 23 December 2023 and 14 March 2024: the indirect tyre pressure monitoring may fail to warn, warn late or give false alarms because of an incorrect calibration of the ESC software.
- 4Low severityFrequency: OccasionalHonda HR-V IIFalse tyre pressure and oil level sensor warningsThe category with the most complaints outside the engine in the source consulted for the second-generation HR-V is false sensor alerts, above all the tyre pressure one, which lights up without any real loss of pressure.
- 5Low severityFrequency: OccasionalKia XCeedElectronics faults: central screen, tyre pressure sensors and central lockingA compilation of 25 owner testimonials describes occasional XCeed electronics faults: intermittent defects in the central screen, the central locking and the tyre pressure sensors, as well as mirrors that sometimes do not fold in damp weather.
- 6Low severityFrequency: RareHonda Jazz IIIOver-sensitive tyre pressure sensors on the Honda Jazz IIIAccording to two testimonials on fiches-auto.fr, the Jazz III's tyre pressure warning goes off excessively, with false alerts during heatwaves. It is a very small sample.
- 7Low severityFrequency: RareMazda CX-7Electronic faults in the tyre pressure monitoring systemThe 2015 DEKRA report, covered by Autofácil, mentions some electronic faults in the tyre pressure monitoring of the Mazda CX-7 (2007-2011). The source does not explain whether the wheel sensors or the control unit are failing.
Frequently asked questions
Which cars have problems of the tyre pressure sensors?
Among those we have analysed: Iveco Daily VI (front brake hose damaged by the routing of the electric brake or tyre pressure monitoring wiring), Fiat Doblò III (inaccurate tyre pressure warning caused by incorrect ESC coding), Toyota ProAce City (incorrect calibration of the indirect tyre pressure monitoring), Honda HR-V II (false tyre pressure and oil level sensor warnings), Kia XCeed (electronics faults: central screen, tyre pressure sensors and central locking), Honda Jazz III (over-sensitive tyre pressure sensors on the Honda Jazz III) and Mazda CX-7 (electronic faults in the tyre pressure monitoring system).
What symptoms does a fault of the tyre pressure sensors cause?
The most frequently cited in the documented faults: tyre pressure warning light, screen or infotainment system freezes or restarts and electric windows or central locking not responding.