TPMS warning light and insurance

marlot

The spare wheel on my car is a full-sized alloy - identical to the other wheels in every way except that it doesn't have a TPMS sensor.

When fitted to the car as a roadwheel, the TPMS system sees that the sensor is missing and alerts the driver.

As I understand it, my car would fail an MOT.

As long as I take sensible precautions (eg. checking the tyre pressure and condition each week), is my car deemed to be unroadworthy? Even if I use the spare wheel for a few months? Are there any insurance implications?

Car_54

marlot wrote: »

The spare wheel on my car is a full-sized alloy - identical to the other wheels in every way except that it doesn't have a TPMS sensor.

When fitted to the car as a roadwheel, the TPMS system sees that the sensor is missing and alerts the driver.

As I understand it, my car would fail an MOT.

As long as I take sensible precautions (eg. checking the tyre pressure and condition each week), is my car deemed to be unroadworthy? Even if I use the spare wheel for a few months? Are there any insurance implications?

AFAIK TPMS is not testable.

Johno100

Car_54 wrote: »

AFAIK TPMS is not testable.

Seems it is

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/car-parts-checked-at-an-mot/car-parts-checked-at-an-mot

And

The inspection of the tyre pressure monitoring system TPMS warning lamp only applies to passenger vehicles with:
• four or more wheels, and
• not more than 8 passenger seats excluding the drivers seat, and
• first used on or after 1 January 2012
The check does not apply to quadricycles.

The TPMS warning lamp as below will generally illuminate and go off again when the ignition is switched on. If one or more tyre pressures are low, the lamp will remain illuminated.
In the event of a system malfunction, the lamp will flash a number of times and then remain on. Vehicles must only be rejected if it is clear that the lamp indicates a system malfunction.

http://www.ukmot.com/manual/4.1/Tread-Pattern-Breadth-and-Depth

neilmcl

Johno100 wrote: »

Seems it is

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/car-parts-checked-at-an-mot/car-parts-checked-at-an-mot

And



http://www.ukmot.com/manual/4.1/Tread-Pattern-Breadth-and-Depth

I read that as being it'll fail if the TPMS is malfunctioning. However in the OP's case the TPMS system is working as it should. OP, why don't you just get a sensor fitted.

What age is the car, is it actually due an MOT? Also, is this an aftermarket wheel?

tedted

only tested on vehicles used after jan 2012

chrisw

Is the sensor definitely missing? Maybe it needs recalibrating once the spare wheel is on.

marlot

chrisw wrote: »

Is the sensor definitely missing? Maybe it needs recalibrating once the spare wheel is on.

The spare doesn't have a sensor. It has a normal rubber valve. Either cost-saving, or they are concerned that the spare could get picked up by one of the nearby wheel receivers and give false readings.

marlot

neilmcl wrote: »

I read that as being it'll fail if the TPMS is malfunctioning. However in the OP's case the TPMS system is working as it should. OP, why don't you just get a sensor fitted.

What age is the car, is it actually due an MOT? Also, is this an aftermarket wheel?

Not due an MOT yet (2 years old). The spare came as standard with the car.

If I have to get an extra sensor I will, but would rather not if I can avoid it.

Warwick_Hunt

Why are you using the spare for a few months?

force_ten

if you want to make use of the spare then get the covers swapped and the spare with new tread gets put on the wheel with TPMS and the legal cover that is on the car at present becomes the spare

System

marlot wrote: »

When fitted to the car as a roadwheel, the TPMS system sees that the sensor is missing and alerts the driver.

As I understand it, my car would fail an MOT.

Quite sure you'll have replaced it by the MOT. Your insurance is safe. Your car isn't unroadworthy just because of a missing TPMS sensor.