[BarryD]

Posted this on another forum as well, but I'm trying to find out if the TPMS valves are fragile or if I am a clod?

I've owned my i30 for two weeks and the TPMS light came on, I checked the rear tyres and they were both around 20psi.  Pumped up one of them but when I tried to pump up the other one the valve broke off.  Fitted the spacesaver and went off to the garage this morning.

They were great, replaced the broken valve under warranty, re-aired the tyre and then sorted out all the gubbins in my boot and put the space saver back into it's nest and reassembled the jigsaw that is the jack/toolkit. 

So two questions:

1. Are TPMS valves fragile?
2. Is 6psi air loss a week excessive - my old Sante Fe lost 4psi from the rears...

Cheers,

[Shambles]

1. They can be, see here

2. That would worry me. I barely lose 1psi per month

[asathorny]

Hi Barry...

Mine i30 is a little over a year old now, I checked the tyre pressures once in that time and they were just fine.  I only checked them then because of a discussion on this club site which inspired me to raise them a smidgen to try to improve MPG....

Oh and being a old fart I didn't even know I had TPMS

I must sit and read that book that came with the car one of these day  HA ha haha hahaha

asathorny

[Lorian]

There are two tips for the (aluminium) TPMS valves

1. Don't get acid wheel cleaner on them

2. Don't bend them when using long handled garage air pumps.

[BarryD]

Thaks all (and for the link - Shambles) the new valve seems to be behaving itself better as do the fronts - but I've still got the leaky (10 psi a week loss) rear one.  I've raised it with the dealer and I am awaiting a call back.  Hopefully they will agree to change it. 

[Lorian]

You sure it's not a slow puncture?

[Twempie]

There are two tips for the (aluminium) TPMS valves

1. Don't get acid wheel cleaner on them
.

Had been using an Autoglym and Turtle Wax wheel cleaners but both contained acid.  Checked online for a non-acid cleaner and found something called Astonish that you can buy on the High Street for only 99p.  Seems to work ok.  Got mine from Home Bargains but apparently a number of outlets sell this product.
Cheers
Twempie

[Lorian]

Just watch the discs might rust up real quick if you wash with household cleaner and then just leave it sat there - best swill them well and then give the car a spin around the block to dry the disks.

I must say since learning about the valve issues I've only cleaned the wheels with a microfibre cloth and some dilute car shampo, and I think it's quicker than using acidic cleaner or a brush anyway.  I keep one cloth specially for this purpose. After cleaning the wheels this cloth should never go anywhere near the paintwork. The most important thing is an old crate to site on while doing it.

I do have quite a lot of microfibre cloths..... You can 12 good ones for a Fiver in Asda at the moment.

[BarryD]

You sure it's not a slow puncture?

Go to the head of the class Lorian turns out it had a nail in it.  Milton Keynes Hyundai (can't rate them enough) fixed it this morning by once again shuffling job cards to fit me in.  £10 for the repair - I could have argued that it's been like that since I bought it off them but that seemed petty.   

[Lorian]

Good result