Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) suck.

[Tobin S.]

Don't get me wrong. I understand the rationale. Properly inflated tires save fuel and reduce emissions. There may also be added safety in tire pressure monitoring systems- that is, if they were dependable.

I have a 2010 Honda Civic. It was the third year after TPMS became mandatory on all newly manufactured cars. I suppose the designs for such systems have probably improved with time, but I really don't know. The problem I've been having is with the sensor valves. I have had three of them go bad, two of them before their time. It wouldn't be so bad except that when these sensor valves have gone bad they have deflated the tire. Ironically, I had one break while I was airing up the tire. The damn thing deflated completely right on the spot. The other two were slow leakers. As we speak, I've got air slowly seeping out of one of my tires.

I'm getting all four of the sensor valves replaced later today. Hopefully I won't have to worry about it for five years by which time I'll probably be looking to get a newer car. I found a tire shop that will do it for $330. I understand that it can be done cheaper, but no one around here will make the repair if I supply the parts. It's still a lot better than the Honda dealer. They want twice as much to do it.

[ret5hd]

1. I believe that problem has been fixed on Lamborghinis.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

2. FYI:

https://www.stevejenkins.com/blog/2014/11/tpms-warning-light-replace-your-tpms-sensors-for-cheap/

So I looked up the TPMS sensor OEM part number for my 2007 GMC and found (without any surprise) that the same sensor is used on nearly all GM’s trucks and SUVs of that era: Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Chevy Suburban and Tahoe, etc. The OEM sensor (made by AC Delco) had an MSRP of $72.44. Local auto parts stores sold decent quality non-OEM replacements that were compatible with my vehicle for between $52 – $62 each. Alright. Now we’re getting warmer.

But to my surprise, I found these AC Delco OEM TPMS sensors for my GMC Yukon — the exact same ones the dealer would have installed — on Amazon.com for $27.29 ea (including free shipping). So for $109.16, I had all four sensors in my hands within 2 days. I was concerned that maybe they’d be used, or somehow not as advertised. But they arrived brand new, in two days, in the original packaging:

[Tobin S.]

3. I saw the same article. That's all well and good if you can find someone who will do the work

when you supply the parts. Around here you have to buy the parts from the shop for them to replace them for you, so you have to pay the mark-up. I wish I knew more about working on cars, but I don't even have the tools to do the work needed to replace those sensors.

[hunter]

4. Yet another reason I'm never going to want a newer car...

(I drive an $800 mid-eighties car with a salvage title. Nothing is automatic, nothing is digital electronic, not even the radio/cassette player...)

I looked on the internet at TPM hacks. I was amused by those that kept all four TPM's protected in a sealed, pressurized PVC pipe...

[Kali]

5. can you bypass or disable the system? are they actually required?

seem pretty pricey to me, but then you know what kind of vehicles I usually drive.

I do have a little car with those things and it is nice to have a light tell me a tire is low instead of only noticing when it is completely flat. check a tire around here? pffft it will be flat before ever finding a gauge.

[Kaleva]

6. I replaced all four of the sensor valves with regular valve stems on my Nissan Xttera

Got tired of airing up one or more tires every few days. The tire warning indicator is always on now but I'm used to it. I'm old school anyways and almost always walk around the vehicle to look at the tires before going anywhere. Any tire that looks a tad low is quickly checked with a tire gauge I keep in the glove compartment.
I don't think I was charged over a $100.00 by a nearby garage to do the job. That includes the cost of the valve stems.

[llmart]

7. I have a two-year old Honda Civic...

and the damned low tire pressure light has come on three times since I've owned it, but when checked the tires are fine. This last time it came on a couple days after the dealer rotated the tires. It's annoying.

[sl8]

8. It amounts to a regressive tax.

It adds $100.00+ dollars to the cost of a set of 4 winter tires and wheels plus approximately $80/year to associate or synchronize each set of wheels/tires with the car every year.

If you have lots of money and no time or inclination to manually check your tire pressure, it's a fine solution.

For people without any money to spare, that don't mind checking their own tire pressure, not such a good deal.

Guess which category my state legislators fall in? In whose interest's do they vote?