Keeping the correct tire pressure level is essential for handling, fuel efficiency, and tire durability. The TPMS (short for tire pressure monitoring system) helps car owners care for their vehicles by leveraging sensors to notify them when one or more of their tires pressure drops past a specific threshold.

It's easy to overlook the importance of your TPMS, but it's a fundamental road safety component found in most vehicles today. In fact, the TPMS is so consequential that road safety laws in many countries require automakers to include it in all new passenger cars sold in the country since 2012.

TPMS come in two major varieties—direct and indirect; the former monitors pressure within the tire, while the latter measures tire rotations to detect imbalances in your tirescircumferences.

If you have a direct TPMS, your vehicle relies on a Tire Pressure Monitoring System Sensor installed inside each tire to continuously gauge PSIs and activate a dashboard alert when something is amiss. Similar to other car systems, your Tire Pressure Monitoring System Sensor can malfunction when subjected to impact, wear, or age, or if it is improperly installed following a tire replacement.

Most of the time, the dash light that notifies you of low tire air pressure levels will power on if there are issues within the tire pressure monitoring system itself. In some cases a reset can fix the issues, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System Sensor replacement is required.

Unless you're a seasoned at-home mechanic, removing and installing a new Tire Pressure Monitoring System Sensor can be a complicated repair. It typically involves allowing the tire to become flat, unseating the tire from the rim to remove the old sensor, and carefully installing a new one. Once the new sensor is installed, your INFINITI's tires need to be properly inflated again, and, (usually) balanced again, to boot! Additionally, depending on which INFINITI model and year you own, you will need to take additional steps to calibrate the sensor.

Whether you choose to visit your local INFINITI experts for Tire Pressure Monitoring System Sensor replacements, or you plan on replacing it yourself, one thing is for sure—having authentic Tire Pressure Monitoring System Sensor replacement parts is crucial. Find INFINITI parts and accessories that fit your INFINITI QX56 2018-2020 and INFINITI QX80 2018-2020 now. See the What This Fits tab for more details.