Used Car - Tyre Pressure Valve Fault - Am I Covered?

tedted

it would help if we knew what vechicle it is

gr_96

tedted said:

it would help if we knew what vechicle it is

Ford Focus ST

neilmcl

gr_96 said:

neilmcl said:

gr_96 said:

photome said:

is it is it the valve or the TPMS?  If it’s the valve get it replaced for a few quid there is no way any warranty would cover a 50p valve.

Agreed. But surely it can't be the TPMS? Because that's relaying that the tyre has lost pressure, which it has, as when I check with the pump it has dropped ~10PSI?

Just to avoid some of the confusion here. What sort of TPMS system do you have? Is it the older passive system or the later active type with sensors in each valve?

If it's the former than all you do is manually check the tyres are at the correct pressure, inflate where necessary, then reset the TPMS system following the manufacturer's instructions. If the system then alerts you and the tyres haven't actually lost pressure than it's the TPMS system that is faulty. If it's the latter then your valve (or tyre) may be at fault but you won't be able to get it changed for just a few quid.

If it is anything to do with a leak, either with the tyre or valve, on either system then you've got no chance with regards your consumer rights.

It just comes up on the dash to say tyre pressure low. Doesn't specify which tyre, and I then just fill up and reset on the dash by holding 'ok' on the reset screen etc. etc.

So it's the older, passive system then. In which case you have standard tyre valves and it's sensors in the ABS system that checks for any tyre deflation. If your tyre is losing pressure then it's nothing whatsoever to do with the TPMS system, it's either a dodgy tyre, dodgy wheel or you need a new valve. Take the car into a decent tyre place and they should fix it.

FYI, it's pretty simple to see what system you have by looking at the valve itself, if it's a standard, brass looking valve then you have the older system. The newer TMPS sensor valves are quite distinctive.

gr_96

neilmcl said:

gr_96 said:

neilmcl said:

gr_96 said:

photome said:

is it is it the valve or the TPMS?  If it’s the valve get it replaced for a few quid there is no way any warranty would cover a 50p valve.

Agreed. But surely it can't be the TPMS? Because that's relaying that the tyre has lost pressure, which it has, as when I check with the pump it has dropped ~10PSI?

Just to avoid some of the confusion here. What sort of TPMS system do you have? Is it the older passive system or the later active type with sensors in each valve?

If it's the former than all you do is manually check the tyres are at the correct pressure, inflate where necessary, then reset the TPMS system following the manufacturer's instructions. If the system then alerts you and the tyres haven't actually lost pressure than it's the TPMS system that is faulty. If it's the latter then your valve (or tyre) may be at fault but you won't be able to get it changed for just a few quid.

If it is anything to do with a leak, either with the tyre or valve, on either system then you've got no chance with regards your consumer rights.

It just comes up on the dash to say tyre pressure low. Doesn't specify which tyre, and I then just fill up and reset on the dash by holding 'ok' on the reset screen etc. etc.

So it's the older, passive system then. In which case you have standard tyre valves and it's sensors in the ABS system that checks for any tyre deflation.

What does this mean in regards to the work carried out.
Even if it comes down to me having to pay, if it's the valve then it shouldn't be ~£100, plenty are saying? I would have got quotes elsewhere, is there anything I can do to support this side of the argument instead?

neilmcl

gr_96 said:

neilmcl said:

gr_96 said:

neilmcl said:

gr_96 said:

photome said:

is it is it the valve or the TPMS?  If it’s the valve get it replaced for a few quid there is no way any warranty would cover a 50p valve.

Agreed. But surely it can't be the TPMS? Because that's relaying that the tyre has lost pressure, which it has, as when I check with the pump it has dropped ~10PSI?

Just to avoid some of the confusion here. What sort of TPMS system do you have? Is it the older passive system or the later active type with sensors in each valve?

If it's the former than all you do is manually check the tyres are at the correct pressure, inflate where necessary, then reset the TPMS system following the manufacturer's instructions. If the system then alerts you and the tyres haven't actually lost pressure than it's the TPMS system that is faulty. If it's the latter then your valve (or tyre) may be at fault but you won't be able to get it changed for just a few quid.

If it is anything to do with a leak, either with the tyre or valve, on either system then you've got no chance with regards your consumer rights.

It just comes up on the dash to say tyre pressure low. Doesn't specify which tyre, and I then just fill up and reset on the dash by holding 'ok' on the reset screen etc. etc.

So it's the older, passive system then. In which case you have standard tyre valves and it's sensors in the ABS system that checks for any tyre deflation.

What does this mean in regards to the work carried out.
Even if it comes down to me having to pay, if it's the valve then it shouldn't be ~£100, plenty are saying? I would have got quotes elsewhere, is there anything I can do to support this side of the argument instead?

I updated my post above. You don't have any "case", you have a dodgy wheel, tyre or valve on a used car that you've had for over a year.

born_again

gr_96 said:

I also feel I can't agree that it could be 'reasonable wear and tear'. This is the valve on the wheel, therefore it's not like it's a consumable or it's constantly being hammered?

To go back to the OP.
5 year old car. Which you have used for a year. So are past the point where you could argue the fault was there when you bought the car. (Given you have not said when the issue started other than "The tyre was relatively new when the issue came about" So have you had the tyre changed?


In effect all you are doing is losing the air that you have put in the tyre.... Is that the dealers fault?

gr_96

I suppose when you guys rephrase it like you have, I do see the other side of the coin.
I guess my frustration arises from the following:
1) The garage didn't charge the first 2 times it went in, where they proposed it was fixed. Why?
2) When I originally called, the man on the phone said that the valve issue was a 'known problem with Focuses' and to 'bring it down and we'll sort it for you'.

The phrasing in point 2 really makes it sound like they'll sort it on the house, as it's an issue they expected may come up.

Maybe there are lessons to be learned for all.
We'll see what the manager says on Monday anyway. But I'm still in doubts about the price. If the TPMS system is reporting correctly, that didn't need replacing. If it's the valve, you guys have said this is a cheap repair. Something still doesn't add up.

I'll follow up with the verdict regardless.

Thanks though for all your (brutally) honest input. Hey! We're not always in the right!

Spank

1. Goodwill, it didn't cost them much to keep you as a loyal customer, but it is now.

2. Just because something is a known issue doesn't mean the garage will fix it forever, hopefully Ford will redesign it.

neilmcl

gr_96 said:

I suppose when you guys rephrase it like you have, I do see the other side of the coin.
I guess my frustration arises from the following:
1) The garage didn't charge the first 2 times it went in, where they proposed it was fixed. Why?
2) When I originally called, the man on the phone said that the valve issue was a 'known problem with Focuses' and to 'bring it down and we'll sort it for you'.

The phrasing in point 2 really makes it sound like they'll sort it on the house, as it's an issue they expected may come up.

Maybe there are lessons to be learned for all.
We'll see what the manager says on Monday anyway. But I'm still in doubts about the price. If the TPMS system is reporting correctly, that didn't need replacing. If it's the valve, you guys have said this is a cheap repair. Something still doesn't add up.

I'll follow up with the verdict regardless.

Thanks though for all your (brutally) honest input. Hey! We're not always in the right!

I think you need to ascertain exactly what they've done for the £100 they're charging before disputing it.

wesleyad

As neil says you have the old system. What this does is not actually measure the tyre pressure directly, it just measures how "thick" the tyre is as the point you reset the system, and then if the thickness drops (by a loss of pressure), it will alert you. As this system has been going off and you have seen a loss of pressure, then it's clear the system is working properly and is not at fault. What is faulty is the tyre. A simple slow puncture, either directly, via the rim or via a valve fault.

As the car is a year old and its a basically a puncture, then the dealership have no obligation to help. I dont know why they have gone the route of suggesting the TPMS is at fault when you have seen the tyre losing pressure. That doesn't make sense to me.