Tyre pressure warning

[dcdick]

Out in the heavy rain this morning & the tyre warning appeared on the display. Tyres are all ok.
I presumed that the very heavy rain & large amounts of standing surface water I was driving through ( in town around 25/30 mph) had confused the abs sensors to give a false reading ?

Phoned the dealer & just got a load of (very polite) waffle about potholes & cold mornings & was advised just to reset & bring it in for a checkup if this persists. Fair enough, it seemed to be a common occurrence by the response from the desk.

Reset has cleared the warning & a short run up the street did not see the light re appear

Anybody else come across this ?

****.

[dickt]

Mine came with over-inflated tyres. When the warning about pressure first came on, I simply changed the pressures to the recommended ones and then re-set the warning to the new pressures. I have not noticed any tyre pressure issues associated with weather! Temp has always had a big effect on pressures.

[074surfer]

Increase in weight was enough to trigger warning simply with two suitcases on board heading on holidays. Put it down to oversensitive sensors. Reset all when I got home and hasn't happened since.

[dcdick]

The day after I got the car went off for a weekend quite heavily laden (90 mile round trip) with no input from the tp warning.

Maybe it just likes to be reset after it has had a few miles running ?

[vwcabriolet1971]

If one front wheel slips and the other one doesn't ( or doesn't slip as much ) then the abs sends signal to ECU that the slipping tyre is smaller than than the other and may interpret this as a reduced tyre pressure (reduced radius tyre ) and activate the pressure warning lamp. A reset should fix the problem or simply leaving it to reset itself.

[dcdick]

I always thought that using the abs system to compare tire pressures would be fraught with problems & now I've got it on the Golf it seems that this system is indeed a little touchy.
The "direct" system using transmitters in each wheel also has it's issues although it is much more accurate than the indirect abs type on my Golf.

Now, I wonder in 10 years time how many of these electronic devices fitted to almost all new cars including the Golf will be functioning 100% ?

[vwcabriolet1971]

I always thought that using the abs system to compare tire pressures would be fraught with problems & now I've got it on the Golf it seems that this system is indeed a little touchy.
The "direct" system using transmitters in each wheel also has it's issues although it is much more accurate than the indirect abs type on my Golf.

Now, I wonder in 10 years time how many of these electronic devices fitted to almost all new cars including the Golf will be functioning 100% ?

The flat tyre indicator could save you a whole lot of trouble due to an otherwise undected puncture especially if you have a skinny spare tyre or worst still only a can of "Goo".

[maisbitt]

Happened to me on Saturday in my Roc (same system). Up here in the North East we had a ton of rain on Saturday morning, caused lots of localised flooding. Going over rain laden roads at speed, one side of the road had more rain on it than the other, causing a bit of drag no doubt. A change in wheel speed for the wheels on that side of the car will have triggered it I would guess. VWcabriolet's explanation is spot on as to the workings of the system and a quick reset after having a quick check all round makes it all go away. I'd much rather have this system than the one with the expensive sensors inside each tyre that inevitably get damaged when the local tyre changing monkeys get their hands on your car.

[dcdick]

Happened to me on Saturday in my Roc (same system). Up here in the North East we had a ton of rain on Saturday morning, caused lots of localised flooding. Going over rain laden roads at speed, one side of the road had more rain on it than the other, causing a bit of drag no doubt. A change in wheel speed for the wheels on that side of the car will have triggered it I would guess. VWcabriolet's explanation is spot on as to the workings of the system and a quick reset after having a quick check all round makes it all go away. I'd much rather have this system than the one with the expensive sensors inside each tyre that inevitably get damaged when the local tyre changing monkeys get their hands on your car.

Seems that we were out in the same rain Saturday;)

Mine beeped at me again Sat pm when the roads were drying out & after a reset it has worked fine since.
I have also discovered that if you do a few yards down cats eyes (moving down the outside of a partially blocked lane at traffic lights in my case) that sets off an interesting display on the dash as well !

The only problem I have with this tire warning system is that if it persists in giving "false" warnings, the time you ignore it, could be the time it really does mean something.

I'm still a little wary of the way this is implemented & the algorithms used as its working parameters.

Is it better than no tire warning system ? ........................ In my case....NO.
If I was to drive in such a manner as to stress the tires ie......high speed/fast cornering/emergency response vehicle etc... then yes I would agree it is a valid warning system.

Am I a Technophobe ................. NO......... I was recently involved in the design of & was a beta builder of a digital music system that is now in the mainstream as a D.I.Y.kit. Although I do still build valve amplifiers.

Love the car, but the difference in the lease price between the S & SE was almost nothing so I suppose I'll just have to embrace all the extra techno stuff that brings & "sit back & enjoy the ride" as they.:D

[maisbitt]

My tyre warning light has only gone off twice in 2 years, one was false. If it was going off a few times a week you might end up ignoring it, but it takes some extreme conditions to get it to kick in falsely. With the amount of rainwater on the A19 on Saturday morning between North Shields and Hartlepool I can't blame it for it's false positive.

[dcdick]

Well, well.............

Yesterday the tyre w/light came on again ... had a look around the the car n/side rear, looked & it was indeed "soft"

Got it checked out ....screw in the tyre :( too close to the shoulder to repair so had to have a new tyre.......................... bloody lease company insisted that they choose type of tyre to be fitted from there "approved" list, so now have 3 Continental 's & a Goodyear. Tried to argue that as the car was "new" (10 days old) that it should have "like for like"............... no chance :aargh4: "you take what is on offer"
Car drives as normal & tyre doesn't look that dissimilar so no problem safety/performance wise..............price difference in tyres was very little, just annoyed me a bit.

So this time the tyre warning "earned it's keep" the screw was very obviously new so hadn't been in the tyre for very long at all.
The estate we live on is full of "trades" at the moment re-ferbing the local authority housing roofs & stuff that are adjacent to us so there's the likely culprit, first puncture for about 9/10 years :(.

Still it was sunny this afternoon & I was out on the "side roads" having a bit of a run out, I have the "torsion beam" suspension on this Golf as oppose to the "multi link" on the more powerful ones but at moderate speeds it is fine around corners & undulating roads.
Once you creep past 60 or so you can feel the suspension struggling a bit on adverse camber corners .................... but I didn't get this Golf to go racing around the countryside so no problems with the handling as it is. ;)

[mcmaddy]

You shouldn't really have two different tyres on the same axle. while it's not illegal its good practise and I think the garage are wrong to do what they've done. I would complain.

[dcdick]

You shouldn't really have two different tyres on the same axle. while it's not illegal its good practise and I think the garage are wrong to do what they've done. I would complain.

I did complain but was told that as long as the size & type of tyre match there is no problem.
However my complaint has been "noted" & I will receive an answer from "customer services" within 10 working days.
Happy days ;)

[mcmaddy]

if they think it'd ok how come all cars from new don't have any old tyres on from the factory. on the tiguan you need to have two perfectly matched tyres or the ride is compromised.

[maisbitt]

Seems like a safety issue to me. If one tyre pattern is grippier than the other or is more efficient at clearing surface water then you could have some issues when braking hard in the dry or wet. Unless the tyre still fitted to the axle that the new one is going on is now unavailable, I wouldn't mix tyres on the same axle, certainly not a different brand that'll have a different tyre wear/grip profile and be manufactured froma different rubber compound blend.

[dcdick]

Didn't have a choice with the replacement, still waiting to hear back from the lease company.
Tried the safety thing with Quick fit (the lease company's tyre agent) & they said it wasn't an issue as the tyres chosen by them & the lease company are "brand recommended" & perfectly safe.
I'm not happy at all about this & short of buying a tyre myself (for which I'll probably never manage to get my money back off them) it's hard to know what to do for the best.
VW say they would always replace on a "like for like basis but refused to be drawn on whether there are any safety or other issues with different makes on the same axle & referred me back to the lease company.

Handling & braking seem to be normal but don't know if there would be a problem in an "emergency" situation. Don't know if I should be worried or not :(

[Dolmen]

I'd say don't worry about it, a lot of the concern about mixing tyres on the same axle goes back to the days when there was radial and also crossply tyres. You were never to mix these on the same axle! Put your mind at rest, all tyres are now radials, you will have no problems... Same thing if a major tyre co stopped manufacturing a specific model of tyre and you wrecked one in a pot hole, you're going to put a different thread pattern on, if not even a different brand.

[andyCYM]

I agree. My company leased Mk 7 had a puncture on day 3. Has since had 3 x Pirellis and 1 X Michellin, but you would never know and I can't believe it would make a difference in an emergency. You can't argue with these people anyway!

[dcdick]

I agree. My company leased Mk 7 had a puncture on day 3. Has since had 3 x Pirellis and 1 X Michellin, but you would never know and I can't believe it would make a difference in an emergency. You can't argue with these people anyway!

Right enough.............the tread "pattern" is not that important as it's just there to basically get rid of water. If the tyre is the right type of construction & falls within the same performance category it will be safe enough.....I was just a bit "miffed" at being told what to do about the tyre I suppose.

The lease company rep phoned a few minutes after I posted my last reply & said they fit "thousands" of tyres a year & most are not a "like for like" replacement & they have never had any accident being caused by having differing tread patterns.

In retrospect I was probably more annoyed at getting a puncture so soon after getting the car (9 days) than anything else.................... (can't beat 3 days though !)

Doesn't seem as if anyone repairs punctures these days though ......:confused:

[mcmaddy]

I'm sure Volkswagen will happily pay out if anything untoward happens with premature suspension component failure. its easy for some lease rep to say it's fine but if one of the tyres has a stronger tread pattern than the other then anything could happen. why don't we get cars from the factory with odd different brand tyres on the same axle??

[vwcabriolet1971]

Seems like a safety issue to me. If one tyre pattern is grippier than the other or is more efficient at clearing surface water then you could have some issues when braking hard in the dry or wet. Unless the tyre still fitted to the axle that the new one is going on is now unavailable, I wouldn't mix tyres on the same axle, certainly not a different brand that'll have a different tyre wear/grip profile and be manufactured froma different rubber compound blend.
So you'd never use a skinny smaller diameter spare wheel/tyre that VW supply with some models that are restricted to 50mph ?

[mcmaddy]

As a temporary fix yes but not permanent.

[dcdick]

I'm sure Volkswagen will happily pay out if anything untoward happens with premature suspension component failure. its easy for some lease rep to say it's fine but if one of the tyres has a stronger tread pattern than the other then anything could happen. why don't we get cars from the factory with odd different brand tyres on the same axle??

The "factory fit" tyres are to a degree subsidised by the tyre company's who are looking for repeat sales as the original tyres wear/get damaged & as such are supplied in matching sets. Just money led business decisions.
In the Golf's case there are several different brands of tyre supplied as standard in models that are identical, this tells me the VW are not a company that places tyres high up the priority ladder.
If tyres were a big issue with VW they would only supply one brand tyre per model.

Interesting thread ;)

[maisbitt]

So you'd never use a skinny smaller diameter spare wheel/tyre that VW supply with some models that are restricted to 50mph ?

You made my point right there....50mph.

When you have a car capable of doing 130mph on an autobahn, you would not want to be having mixed tyres on an axle doing 70mph in the wet here in the UK.

[dcdick]

When you have a car capable of doing 130mph on an autobahn, you would not want to be having mixed tyres on an axle doing 70mph in the wet here in the UK.

I wouldn't want to be doing 70 mph on a road in the wet in the UK (or anywhere else come to think of it) under any circumstances !