AIBU to disable a faulty tyre pressure warning to pass the MOT?

[NorwichMom]

I’m aware the latter option probably isn’t legal. Keep in mind the car is old and I will keep it until it dies so won’t be passing this problem onto someone else.

I have a light on the dashboard because the tyre pressure monitoring system valves have failed. I took it to a garage a year ago who said it wouldn’t be a mot failure. That it would be about £500 to fix and they recommended I learnt to live with it.

Fair enough i thought. None of my previous cars have had a tyre pressure monitoring system I can live without it. So bought a pump which plugs into the cigarette lighter thing and I regularly check my tyre pressures and inflate if needed. Old fashioned maybe but safe.

Turns out it is a mot failure after all. The mechanic suggested I find someone who can do something to my car to make my car think it hasn’t got a tyre pressure monitoring system and then the light will go out. Someone has offered to do this (I think for free). Or I pay circa £500 to have it fixed.

Strange as have a 2016 myself.

They don't plug a diagnostic computer in during the bloody mot though

Think mine is a k model. I’ve found a Home Screen button so tried that and then could select settings on the screen Then picked vehicle as nothing about tyres. And then only have options about comfort, lights, locks. Have looked in all those and nothing about tyres

page 193, do you have this DDS button? Astra-H, v.6 (rev ), en-GB

I had a flat and had the front 2 tyres replaced. When I got the car back the light about tyre pressure was on, but they assured me it had all been checked and I just needed to clear it on the screen. I forgot to do that and had MOT a week later, which flagged it as an "issue" but didn't fail it, presumably because when they do the MOT they will check tyre pressure as part of it anyway.

try under settings or vehicle and then look for TPMS

No they don't check tyre pressure

apparently in some models there may also be a button in the glove box!!

Ok I got ChatGPT to help and it gave me instructions which ring a bell from doing this a year ago. I did everything ChatGPT said inc with the relearn tool and it didn’t work ChatGPT says it won’t work if the battery has failed.

Oh, that seems odd, if there is a warning light not to check if it is an electrical issue or a real one. Anyway it didn't fail. Not sure how but it was the same garage that changed the tyres.

Yeah I don’t understand how so many people with the same fault have the car pass the mot. 4 garages have now told me it’s a definite fail.

Try asking here:- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1828627

An actual MOT tester answers questions in this thread.

The sensors with batteries are £15.99 on Amazon.
Or do a search for part No YQ00956280 - some ebay sellers have a set of 4 for £25.
OE Tyre Pressure Monitor Sensor TPMS Vauxhall Astra K Insignia B YQ00956280 - Car & Van Parts Specialists

Thanks. But the wheels need to come off for them to be fitted. Shows how much garages mark their prices up though. First garage told me they were £100 each, next one said £50 each 🤷‍♀️

...which should be no more than £15-£30 a wheel

If there are any lads in your area with noisy exhausts, you (or DP/DH if you have one) make friends with them . They will know which garages are less strict and happy to turn off a sensor (for a non dangerous issue) for MOT pass. Any McDonald's with a drive through is a good place to meet them

not kidding

modern cars. what a total scam. hope you can get it sorted OP.

i had a tyre pressure warning sensor fixed on a Ford Fiesta and it cost just £110 a year ago. That was at a local independent in London, not the main dealer. @NorwichMom

You think? And there was no need for the bloody.

Why don’t you take it to the garage that told you it wouldn’t be a fail?

I rang them this morning. They’ve now decided it would be a fail. 🤷🏻‍♀️🙈

oddly enough they mot my daughters car last week and said it should have failed due to brake catching/sticking but they’d be nice and pass it. Now to me that sounds more dangerous. Obviously we’ll fix it but that’s not the point

Think again...

They can’t afford to ‘be nice’ - why would they risk their MOT approved status just for a customer. That’s utterly ridiculous.

Err I know. Why would they be doing that? Have u never watched your car being MOTed

My now 11 yr old Honda Jazz developed an annoying false low tyre pressure warning when it was 18 months old. I had it back to the dealership a few times while still under warranty but they couldn’t identify why it was happening.

The false alarm happens within 15-20 miles of when I’ve routinely inflated the tyres. I can cancel it via the on screen settings by selecting tyre pressure and scrolling down to initialize. The warning light goes off and I don’t see it again till the next time I top up the tyre pressures.