🛑 Unprotected: Why Your Factory TPMS Fails When You Tow in Australia

Nov 7, 2025
3 min read

G'day, Australian drivers and caravanners!

You invested in a new vehicle, confident that its built-in safety features would protect you on the road. You rely on your factory-installed Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to handle tyre safety.

We need to be direct: That reliance is dangerous when you tow.

The truth is, your factory TPMS is often built for minimal compliance with regulations, not for the heavy loads, long distances, and extreme heat of Australian touring. It creates a massive safety gap—a gap Flatmate-TPMS is engineered to fill.

Here is the shocking truth about why your factory system FAILS you when you hook up the caravan:

1. The Factory Blind Spot: Zero Trailer Monitoring

This is the most critical failure: Your car's internal TPMS cannot monitor the tyres on your caravan or trailer.

Vulnerability: Your caravan tyres are subjected to greater stress from weight and longer continuous use than your car's tyres. They are the most vulnerable component on your rig, and they are completely unmonitored by your vehicle's safety system.
The Catastrophe Risk: A blowout on a caravan is far more severe than on a car, often leading to a loss of control, major bodywork damage, and even writing off the caravan entirely.
The Fix: You need a standalone system—like the Flatmate Aura or Guardian—that is specifically designed to wirelessly connect to, and constantly monitor, the trailer. Without it, you are driving blind and relying purely on luck.

2. It Misses the #1 Precursor to a Blowout: Heat

Many factory (OEM) TPMS systems only measure pressure (PSI). They do not measure the tyre's internal temperature. This omission is lethally dangerous in Australia:

Thermal Overload: Sustained high speeds and heavy loads—like driving across the Nullarbor—cause massive heat buildup inside the tyre. Excessive temperature is the primary precursor to a catastrophic structural failure or blowout.
The Bearing Failure Clue: Sudden temperature spikes are also the first sign of a rapidly failing wheel bearing or brake issue. This warning is vital because it allows you to pull over safely and repair a cheap bearing before it destroys the entire axle.
The Fix: Flatmate-TPMS systems are engineered to measure both Pressure AND Temperature, giving you the critical early warning your factory system is missing.

3. The Data Is Delayed and Often Inaccurate

Your factory TPMS might give you a warning, but often when it's too late.

Delayed Alerts: Many new car systems use indirect monitoring, meaning they only flag an issue when a tyre pressure drops significantly (e.g., a 25% drop) by measuring wheel speed. This means you are driving on damaged, under-inflated rubber for potentially kilometres before the warning light appears.
The Fuel Tax: Even a small drop in pressure (like 5 PSI) dramatically increases rolling resistance, wasting your fuel and accelerating tyre wear. Your factory light will stay off while you steadily burn cash.
The Fix: Our external sensors provide direct, real-time PSI readings, showing you a 1-2 PSI loss immediately. This accuracy allows you to maintain optimal inflation for safety and maximum fuel economy.

The Flatmate-TPMS Commitment: Safety Engineered for Australia

Your family and your caravan deserve safety built for real Australian conditions, not just regulatory boxes.

Flatmate-TPMS is designed to fill the exact safety void left by factory systems.
We offer systems (like the Aura and Guardian) that handle 6+ sensors and provide the Temperature Alerts essential for Australian towing.