Can tyre pressure sensors be turned off?

Tyre pressure sensors are part of the tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), which check the pressure of your tyres and alert you if your tyres fall below the recommended level.

It is not recommended to disable a TPMS, as they’re designed to protect your safety on the roads.

If your TMPS warning light is flashing, the first thing to do is check your tyre pressure. If you’ve checked tyre pressure, inflated your tyres to the correct specification and the warning light still won’t switch off, there could be a fault with your vehicle's TPMS.

Sometimes, the warning light comes on even if your tyres are fine—a faulty TPMS or a drastic temperature change could trigger this. Typically, you can work out if it’s a fault or if your tyres need air by the light that appears on the dashboard.

Is disabling the tyre warning light illegal?

Although disabling your TPMS isn’t illegal, they’re essential to keeping your vehicle safe. Without a working TPMS, your tyres could fall below the required level, potentially leading to impaired handling, grip, rolling resistance, comfort and even tyre failure. Your vehicle could also fail its MOT test if your TPMS is disabled and your tyres are not compliant with the required standards.