R56 TPMS triggering - wheels & tyres?

[The Cardinal]

Despite equal and unchanging tyre pressures, the TMPS on my 2013 R56 Cooper S is triggering - usually during a long drive, fully loaded.

I bought the car in March from a Mini dealer, where the MoT a few weeks prior to trade-in noted a slightly distorted NSF wheel rim and tyre wear (down to 3mm). It's a stipulation of Mini AUC standards that the MoT is passed without any advisories, so I was assured that this would be taken care of.

In the event, it seems that the dealer cosmetically refurbed the wheel and swapped it (complete with the 3mm tyre) to the NSR. It then went on to pass a fresh MoT without issue.

Life's too short to get upset and I doubt I'd get anything from challenging the dealer.

So... I will now be replacing what is now the NSR and the "matching" OSF tyres, as they're both fairly worn. What would have been the original rear tyres (and are now NSF and OSR) are in good nick, hence I want to get them back onto the same axle.

The car feels fine - but I was wondering whether the TPMS trigger might be to do with uneven tyre wear across both axles and possibly an uneven wheel?

[steve-5snwi]

It should work off the wheel diameter so reset all the tyre pressures to factory then reset the TPMS system, but yes your theory of worn tyre is a possibility.

[timbo999]

My R53 kept triggering the TPMS light even though the pressures were okay and I kept resetting it... this happened a few times and then an ABS sensor went south and was replaced and the TPMS light didn't recur... might be worth checking?

[The Cardinal]

Thanks both - and I should make clear that I have re-set the TPMS 3 times so far.

[vikingaero]

I find that my TPMS on my R55 triggers after hot weather/long trips. When one side of the car is subject to the sun more than the other it causes a differential tyre pressure which triggers the TPMS. Only way I've found to manage it is to inflate the tyres when they have equally managed to cool so I know they are spot on and ignore it when it does happen.

[alex.tvr]

Had this a few times, after driving on a newly sealed road - turned out to be some stone chippings stuck in between sensor and hub. From memory these sensors (wheel speed?) might only be on 1 side of car at front and opposite side at rear. It was front LHS that was my problem. Take a wheel off and have a look for any stone chippings.
HTH

[cuprabob]

alex.tvr said:

Had this a few times, after driving on a newly sealed road - turned out to be some stone chippings stuck in between sensor and hub. From memory these sensors (wheel speed?) might only be on 1 side of car at front and opposite side at rear. It was front LHS that was my problem. Take a wheel off and have a look for any stone chippings.
HTH

There will be a wheel speed sensor on all 4 wheels.

[The Cardinal]

Thanks All.

I have had two new tyres fitted (matching) and had two existing ones moved around so that the wear is now equal across axles. The TPMS triggered on the way home, but I guess that was to do with new tyres and needing a reset.

Part of the problem is that it's our second car and is driven infrequently. I have a 100-mile run planned for Monday, so we'll see how it's doing then.