Frequently Asked Questions

You drive a motor vehicle or a motor home. Then you need to know the following:

1. Since the 1st November 2012 all types of new motor vehicles and mobile homes sold in the EU must be equipped with a TPMS.
   
   
2. From the 1st November 2014 all motor vehicles and mobile homes in the EU must have a TPMS at initial registration.

Through the use of breakdown assistants, such as aerosol sprays, it can lead to chemical reactions, which damage the sensor and the tyres.

An indirect or direct TPMS is already installed during the manufacture of the vehicle. If the manufacturer should not install TPMS in the vehicle, retrofitting is not necessary, because then the vehicle is not subject to the TPMS obligation.

A workshop that offers the TPMS service can help you regarding spare parts such as a service kit for the valve maintenance or a replacement sensor.

Please note that due to the complex technology of the TPMS a specialist workshop, which has the appropriate speciality or programming tools, for tyre changes, maintenance work and in the event of problems (e.g. warning on the display) is to be recommended.

During a tyre service in the case of a direct TPMS the sensor must always be checked.

Vehicles, which are subject to the TPMS obligations, must fit all the tyres with sensors.

If a new tyre should be installed on the vehicle, a sensor which is compatible with the TPMS must also be installed in the vehicle.

For a direct TPMS please note the following during tyre service:

• Need for the maintenance of the valve each time a wheel is changed, in order to prevent wear of the sensor
  
  
• On new tires:  new teach-in of the sensors on the vehicle due to a new sensor ID or change of wheel position of the sensors to ensure the trouble-free communication between sensor and TPMS receiver
  
  
• The self-assembly is made more difficult by these new technical requirements, which is why it is a good idea, to visit an expert/ a workshop for the tyre service

In the case of vehicles that are  subject to a TPMS obligation, an indirect or direct TPMS was already fitted during manufacture, because otherwise this vehicle will be issued no type-approval or no approval within the EU member states.

A subsequent installation of a TPMS is not mandatory.

A warning signal is shown in the display of the vehicle, a workshop should be visited as soon as possible, because either the TPMS is not working, or an air leak is present. 

During the main inspection according to section 29 of the German Road Traffic Licensing Act a defective TPMS is a minor fault, which however, due to its safety relevance must be corrected at once by the vehicle owner/keeper.

You should visit a workshop as soon as possible or park the vehicle and contact a breakdown service since there is a defective tyre and driving safety is not assured.

The valves for the sensors are subject to normal wear and tear and therefore need to be maintained on a regular basis (recommendation: at each tyre change).

A workshop with TPMS service can carry out the maintenance.