Topic: TPMS and winter tires

[mazda626]

There are a lot of people in the forum here who seem proud to put their winter tires on themselves. What are they going to do when they get a car with TPMS? I recently bought a second set of rims for my new car, and the TPMS sensors and bands alone cost $500. I can't train the sensors myself, so I had to go back to the tire shop to get them to put my winters on for me, even though I have a floor jack at home. I will have to go back to the shop in the spring when the all seasons go back on and have them retrain the sensors.

The mechanic told me there are only two manufacturers of TMPS tools, and the handheld  computer he used to train my car cost $2000. This is all a big waste of my time, but, if I ignore the TPMS my car has a flashing idiot light and text messages that warn me every time I start the car, which diminishes my enjoyment of driving a new vehicle.

I had to return to the shop on Saturday when the TPMS light wouldn't go off after the tires were swapped on Tuesday. The receptionist told me to book another appointment, and I had to go outside and count to ten before I lost it. I went back inside and complained to the manager, who took my car in right away despite how busy they were.

All this seems very expensive and a waste of time compared to checking my tires regularly with my $5 tire pressure gauge.

[HeliDriver]

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the TPMS on our GM. Sure, I had to spend an extra $300 for the second set of sensors for the winter wheels, but it's only a one-time expense.

I'm also glad I don't have to go back to the dealer for the sensor re-learn every spring and fall. With the GM system, you can reset the sensors by simply letting air out of the tires in a preset pattern. Works fine for me when I do my own changeovers.

[johngenx]

The Toyota TPMS sensors for our Corolla are $75 each, so $300 for a set.  Not bad, but there are some PITA considerations.  Even with the second set of sensors installed, I have to have the Toyota dealer program the sensors to the computer and has to be done each time I install the other wheels.

One of the great benefits of a set of dedicated winter wheels for the tires is that you can do the change over at home.

Now, the TPMS warning light in the Corolla is not terribly obtrusive, so we'll just live with the light while the winter tires are on.

Manufacturers need to add a training system so that owners can do it themselves.

[sailor723]

TPMS was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back when I decided not to buy winter rims for the SRX.

[tpl]

Interesting. Neither of my cars have TPMS but I can understand the pain... it would drive me berserk as well especially as they are not a legal requirement here.

[tpl]

Thinking about this again. It should be trivially easy  for the car mfr to list the "id" of the factory tpms sensors in the owners manual... just like a radio code... so when you buy a 2nd set for the winter steelies  just to set them to the code.

And if anybody knows... what happens if you use the spare wheel?  Does the idoit light stay on ?

[wing]

TPMS was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back when I decided not to buy winter rims for the SRX.

Not a shot at you sailor in anyway -- but an interesting observation.  As everyone (tire manufacturers, the gov, safety people etc) try to convince ppl to move to winter tires, now we have this TPMS system that discourages ppl to do so.  Major problem I see.

My Titan has a stupid system, but at least the light isn't on unless it detects no system after an hour.

[johngenx]

On our 'Rolla, the warning light stays on when the spare is on.

[tpl]

On our 'Rolla, the warning light stays on when the spare is on.

if it is a temp spare I can see the point of that.  But for a full size spare with a real tire  I wonder.... logically there would be a sensor already fitted.

from all the comments above it looks as if the bean counters have won over the engineers again.

First it was the ABS tpms that would not go off if ALL tires had lost pressure... IIRC the NTHSA nixed that one.
Now it is more sophisticated systems with serious usability flaws.

Oh well.   

[sailor723]

Just to be clear Wing....I still bought winter tires. I just decided not to go with winter rims. I didn't want the idiot light/message centre to be on all winter.

[HeliDriver]

And if anybody knows... what happens if you use the spare wheel?  Does the idoit light stay on ?

Haven't tried it yet, but I assume the computer would still be picking up the signal from the flat tire as it sits in the trunk, so I would expect the light to stay on.

Too bad the full-size spare on our Suburban doesn't have a sensor in it. That would be a useful feature - especially since the spare is carried between the frame rails on the underside of the vehicle. It's an extra PITA to crawl under there for routine pressure checks.

[KRS]

And if anybody knows... what happens if you use the spare wheel?  Does the idoit light stay on ?

Haven't tried it yet, but I assume the computer would still be picking up the signal from the flat tire as it sits in the trunk, so I would expect the light to stay on.

  I can say with certainty that on the TPMS sensors used by Chrysler and Mitsubishi if the tire isn't spinning then the sensor isn't transmitting to save battery life. Unfortunately If no signal is sensed then the light should still remain on unless the vehicle will retrain to the new sensors now in position automatically, which at least on the Mitsu it doesn't.

The mechanic told me there are only two manufacturers of TMPS tools, and the handheld  computer he used to train my car cost $2000. This is all a big waste of my time, but, if I ignore the TPMS my car has a flashing idiot light and text messages that warn me every time I start the car, which diminishes my enjoyment of driving a new vehicle.

  As to TPMS sensor tools I am aware of a few companies that make TPMS retraining tools but it is a shot in the dark as to whether any tool will work with your car it seems . I know with Mitsu you need their proprietary MUT 111 computer system which costs over $2600 when i was looking last year. Snap On sells a tools that works with a fair number of manufacturers systems but not Mitsu which was only around $600 to buy. I was considering the $600 tool since I have sensors in my snow tire set up but at $2600 I can ignore at lot of idiot lights and flashing messages, till I'm near a dealer after i put them on.

[Guy]

Acura sells the sensor for $40./each. They do not need to be programmed. Just drive a mile or so and everything is OK.

[rrocket]

Now, the TPMS warning light in the Corolla is not terribly obtrusive, so we'll just live with the light while the winter tires are on.

Exactly.  If you can't get enjoyment out of your car with a flashing light, perhaps you need to buy a teeny strip of black electrical tape to put over the flashing TPMS light just for the winter.   

[sailor723]

Well,to sum it up, I think the whole TPMS thing is a giant PITA

[johngenx]

TPMS is still better than TPS reports...

[mazda626]

The manager at the tire shop said they were told initially that TPMS was going to be a moneymaking opportunity for them, but so far it has been nothing but trouble. They have found TPMS to be temperamental, with systems triggering after only a 2psi drop in pressure.

If I can find a cheap TPMS training device for my car I will certainly buy one. Hopefully the computerized device they had will only be needed if a sensor is faulty.

[vdk]

Now, the TPMS warning light in the Corolla is not terribly obtrusive, so we'll just live with the light while the winter tires are on.

Exactly.  If you can't get enjoyment out of your car with a flashing light, perhaps you need to buy a teeny strip of black electrical tape to put over the flashing TPMS light just for the winter.   

Like they do on VWs with the CEL.. 

[alberich]

The extra expense of TPMS sensors ($125 each) plus the quoted $50+ for retraining the TPMS system at each changeover also convinced me to stick with one set of rims & all-weather tires (Nokian WR G2).
Yes, its a compromise, but it also cuts down on the changeover cost (using same rims) which would be about $120 per changeover.

Considering I drove for 20 or more years with all-season tires - it should be an improvement. I didn't have much option for 20 years since I lived in an apartment & storing winter tires under the bed wasn't a good thing!

[safristi]

  ....PORN STASH!!!!.....