The Tire Pressure Monitoring system(TPMS) is one of the most advanced technologies available in today’s vehicles. It allows you to monitor the pressure of each tire and ensure that your tires are properly inflated at all times.
The system will alert you when one or more of your tires is underinflated, which can cause irregular wear patterns as well as decrease fuel economy and increase the risk of a blowout but what happens when you get “TPMS Inspection required”? What does it really mean? Well, in this article, I am going to address exactly that.
What is TPMS, and What does it Do?
TPMS stands for tire pressure monitoring system. It is a technology that allows you to monitor the pressure of each tire and ensure that your tires are properly inflated at all times.
Before this system was introduced, there was no way to know if your tires were properly inflated or not.
This is especially important for vehicles that are run on long-distance trips, where it’s easy to forget to check the pressure of your tires or get distracted by something else while driving.
The TPMS system consists of sensors that are installed in each tire, with one sensor per wheel.
What Does Mazda’s “TPMS Inspection Required” Mean?
The short answer is TPMS Inspection Required,” which means the vehicle detected a problem with the Tire pressure monitoring system and needs to be checked.
Fortunately, based on my experience as an Auto technician, this is not a serious issue and, usually, an easy fix. Let’s get to the main causes for this error message on your Mazda.
TPMS Inspection Required Message Causes
Faulty TPMS Sensor:
One of the most common causes of the TPMS Inspection Required message is a bad sensor. This can be caused by many things like road hazards or even hitting a curb with your car.
For example, if you hit a curb with one of your tires while driving and it damages the sensor, then you will get this error message on your dashboard.
Since there is a sensor on each wheel, I recommend that you get an obd scanner that will be able to tell which sensor needs to be replaced, or you can just replace all the sensors.
Related: Mazda’s SCBS Inspection Required Meaning
Malfunctioning Brake Pedal Sensor:
Another possible cause of the TPMS Inspection Required message is a bad brake pedal sensor. This can happen if you have replaced your brakes and not removed the old sensors first or if they were not properly installed in the new brakes.
If this happens, then it will throw off your car’s ability to monitor your tire pressure and brake pedal position.
This is another reason why it’s important to make sure that the brake system on your car is working properly before you start driving it again.
The TPMS system relies on being able to monitor these two things in order to work properly.
Bad Battery:
The TPMS system relies on a working battery to operate. If the battery is dead or almost completely drained, then this will cause the TPMS Inspection Required message to appear on your dashboard.
This is another reason why it’s important not to leave your car sitting for long periods of time without starting it up and driving it around for a few minutes at least once every week or two.
Since the electronics in your car, including the TPMS system, a dead battery can cause all kinds of problems.
I would advise you to disconnect, check the charge, and reconnect your battery if you are having trouble with the TPMS system. This can sometimes fix whatever issue is preventing the system from working properly.
Can You Drive with a Fault TPMS?
Yes, you can drive with a faulty TPMS system. This will not damage the car.
However, it’s not recommended, as the system is designed to tell you when there’s a problem with one or more of your tires.
It can also alert you when the tire pressure drops below a certain threshold, if you continue to drive then you won’t be able to monitor this and could end up with a flat tire.
How to Fix a Faulty TPMS
The first is to reset the TPMS system by pressing the reset button. If this does not work, then you will need to get TPMS sensors from the nearest dealer and replace them. You should also make sure that the battery on your car is fully charged, as this will help with any problems with the TPMS system.
How to Reset the TPMS
Sources:
https://owners-manual.mazda.com/gen/en/cx-30/cx-30_8hq1ee19i/contents/05120200.html
https://www.bridgestonetire.com/learn/maintenance/tire-pressure-monitoring-system-how-tpms-works/