Tire Pressure Monitor

Good idea, how often do you check your tire pressure? Not a day goes by while driving do I not see tires that are under inflated, so having that gage in the compartment does little good unless used. With runflat tires the side walls are stiff enough that you can't visually "gage" the tire pressure. Since I like a car to run at peak tune, that includes tire pressure, it is a simple matter to check them while running down the road. I check my tire pressure nearly every time I drive the car. It took very little time to read the correct way to recalibrate the sensors and it takes less time that checking the pressure with a gage. On a trip through the Rockies I hit a sharp stone very hard and was able to bring up the tire pressure and watch it until I was where I could get safely off the road and out of traffic to check for damage. At that point the cost of the pressure sensors was cheap to say the least.

Another system I see coming on line looks even better. It senses the rotating radius of all of the tires, ties into the braking and traction control system, and if it varies enough it will bring up a "low tire pressure" message on your DIC. By utilizing the systems already in place and working with the programming it brings about a very good and inexpensive warning system.

I miss my Cadillacs - ;-(

Reply to
Dad
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How often do I check tire pressure - every time I fill up. And I'm able to run the low profile wide tread tires on my car at least 10,000 miles longer than I would otherwise. And I rotate them regularly.

True, but the same can be said for a pressure monitoring system. For many drivers it will probably end up being another check engine light to be ignored.

Anyone who thinks they can visually estimate 4 or 5 psi pressure loss with a regular radial tire is kidding themselves. Sure you can tell if a tire is at 20 psi when it should be at 35, but by then the damage is done. A simple pressure guage is apparently far more reliable that the built-in pressure sensing systems. How does the pressure monitoring system warn the average owner that it needs to be recalibrated to give a meaningful reading. That is a serious limitation for most drivers.

Reply to
John S.

Some of the manufacturers (Pontiac is one that comes to mind on the Bonneville) are already using such a system: it is easy to do on a car with ABS because you already have rotational sensors at each wheel - all you need is the proper software code to process the information and display it (uou look for differential in the number of pulses per mile from the ABS wheel sensora, which tanslates to a difference in diameter of the tires from one side to another, the theory being that most of the time not all tires are low on air pressure at the same time)..

Unfortunately, the NHTSA doesb't think such a speed sensor system is accurate enough - in a new safety mandate they haded down a few months ago that, if memory serves me correctly takes effect in 2010, that will require tire pressure monitoring on all cars. The NHTSA has specifically said that rotation sensor-based systems will NOT be acceptable.

I feel your pain - I miss my old Cadillac too. But lordy the new ones are so butt-ugly - last decent looking Cadillac was the last-generation Seville. I would not take a CTS if someone gave me one.

Regards, Bill Bowen Sacramento, CA

Reply to
William H. Bowen

You are rare indeed, seldom if ever have I seen anyone check their tires when they fill up, but then I've only been driving for 50+ years. How wide is wide? The 285-35-19 that I run will go way past the estimated mileage as they show on the tread depth right now for 11,000 and I don't rotate. Even when I worked in a service station in the early sixties we had to ask if the customer wanted his tires checked. Very few checked the tires and just a few had you check the oil.

So your contention is that those that ignore a trouble message will be using a tire pressure gage, get real. Very hard to ignore and it don't shut off by it's self.

Didn't even suggest that anyone could judge the actual pressure in a regular radial tire by it's looks, my reason for making that statement is because the runflats don't show any signs of low pressure at all, regardless of the amount. I see that you have had no experience with a runflat tire and therefore no experience with a pressure monitoring system.

How do you know that? As far as the accuracy of a hand held tire gage, forget it. If you take most of them out and check the same tire with different gages of the same make they will give you varied readings. The only thing you know is that the pressure is similar in all four tires by using one gage.

Actually the Corvette system seldom needs "recalibrating" if ever, but it throws a warning if the readings vary considerably between all four tires. The pressure seems to be monitored very well as checked by an industrial dial pressure gage with a tire chuck attached, not the $1.97 trash that most people use. Of the 4 Corvettes I've had with pressure monitors I've recalibrated them maybe a half dozen time, and all of those were when I was mounting racing tires on different rims with diffrent sensors and/or switching back to street tires. After the first time they would set themselves and not require recalibration because they went to the same location.

Reply to
Dad

snip

Even at my age my butt looks better than the CTS. My last Seville STS was a sad disappointment. Had it less the a year, still waiting for them to make something exciting again. May have to get a Z06 after the price gougers get done and just drive 2 Corvettes.

Reply to
Dad

Pressure checking is not so rare at least in my area.

Nope, my point is that a pressure warning system is a tool that could be useful, but will be ignored by many and will become little more than another expensive automated gadget t ignore or figure out how to switch off. A pressure gauge will be as effective an automated warning system for most drivers. And it will be a whole lot cheaper.

Unfortunately there are a lot of drivers who have conditioned themselves to routinely ignore the check engine and engine warning lamps as well as the text messages that scroll across the dashboard display. Like the many people who continue to run out of gas after the needle has passed into the orange area AND the red warning light has gone on.

Quoting you: ...are stiff enough you can't visually "gage" the tire pressure. It is not possible to visually gauge tire pressure with any reliability under any circumstance period.

Really now. If handheld gauges are that inaccurate then how useful or accurate can we expect a pressure sensing system to be. Remember, it is nothing more than analog sensors rigged to a digital display. And how can a driver rely on such a system if it goes out of calibration with no warning. I've checked several different handheld gauges and they are plenty close enough for maintaining reasonably accurate pressure.

Your experience does not appear to be the same as the caddy owner - strange isn't it. Come to think of it I have never had a handheld analog gauge go out of calibration.

That's an "unusual" way of dealing with life, wouldn't you say?

Reply to
John S.

I'd have to see that to believe it.

Ah yes, it is cheaper and the pressure monitering system will be very hard to remove cheaply from any car that is built with it in the system. I assume that you will not buy a car after the required pressure sensors are in the

2010 models? Actually seems like your point is that you're cheap and the government can't change that by mandating pressure sensors. By the way they are also trying to get the runflats mandatory are you going to resist that also or just the pressure sensors?

Wow, you got that down pat, I've never seen that orange area or the red light, what happens next? You are still suggesting these people will use a tire gage over reacting to a warning light?

Now come on, is it the thumpty thump that tells you a tire is flat? Or, big question here, can you see that the rim is very close to the ground or the tire has a much larger bulge in the side, (runflat not included), than do the others on the vehicle? Actually you can see it, you can hear it, you can feel it, and last but not least, you can smell them when they go flat, all of this is under certain conditions of course.

Did you ever hear about offsets for tweaking the accuracy of the interface between a electronic component and its sensor? My assumption is that if a system goes out with no warning that it is the same as any other aspect of life, you deal with it. Why do you think they go out without warning, I don't remember that being the issue? Nothing was said about that, only when his tires were rotated and the revenue enhancement guru kicked in.

You should use it more, but then close is good enough as you seem to think. All of our analog gages were calibrated on a regular basis and they do/did fail, but then I dealt with precision gages and if you do it would surprise me. My direct reference was to the Corvette as it is cross posted, I would expect you to realize that. In reality the Cadillac owner was talking about them wanting an added cost figure for resetting his sensors. My first reply was how to do it yourself. You are the one that is fixated on the usefulness/value of the pressure monitoring system.

Can be and if that's the way you might choose to live, that is your choice.

Reply to
Dad

This system is already in use. I first saw it on the 97 Grand Prix. It was the same on my 2000 Grand Prix and is in place on my 2005 Grand Prix. Just a simple system that uses the abs wheel sensor to detect a difference in the rotational speed of the wheel compared to the others. I suppose if all tires were low to the same degree it wouldn't detect it. Had it warn of a low tire (nail) once so I guess it works.

Dave WI

Reply to
Dave

My mom's 2000 Regal has that low tire light system. The one that utilizes the ABS and TC system. Not sure if my new car, a 2006 Grand Prix, will have the actual pressure displayed or just a low tire warning...

Reply to
Mike Levy

Nope, didn't say that did I would stop buying cars now did I. Truly an asinine statement for you to make wasn't it.

I was also stating the obvious - that there are a lot of drivers who routinely ignore important information fed to them via the dashboard. Just because the latest warning system has to do with tires is no reason to believe their behaviour will change one whit.

What happens next should be obvious. The engine stops. I can't tell you the last time I ran out of gas, but there are plenty of people who do. As I've restated several times now those people will ignore useful information provided them no matter the subject. I can't tell you why...maybe unlike you and me they don't appreciate the consequences of ignoring warning messages. Will they use a tire pressure gauge if it is in the glove compartment - most likely not. But having an unused analog gauge in the glove compartment is a whole lot cheaper than an unused analog tire pressure monitoring system installed in the car.

Unfortunately it is the thumpty thump or the loss of steering control will be the first warning sign most drivers will heed. Wish driver behaviour was more defensive, but in my experience most drivers react to the consequences of problems rather than anticipating them.

If you don't believe what should be obvious, just try a blind test.

It would appear to be your choice in responsible lifestyle given that it appeared at the end of your post.

Reply to
John S.

You really need to read a little better John, it wasn't a statement, it was a question. Is that the problem, someone, heaven forbid, questioned you supreme knowledge?

The obvious is that change seems to come hard for you as with those other drivers?

Allot of drivers and most drivers seem to be rather poor at driving in the manner you think they should. Thankfully I drive where most driver do a pretty fair job of avoiding problems. For those other drivers I have the unique ability to forsee problems that could be an incident and avoid them. Sort of like low tires and poor visability are indicators that I shouldn't be there when the accident happens.

Obvious like tire pressure monitoring systems do work?

I see you didn't care to answer how accurate the tire pressure monitoring systems can be, must be out of your knowledge base.

Not really, it is just a somewhat funny collections of words I keep in my compartment, but never use them for what they were intended. Get the point? You assume allot. Try to deal in facts, it's enlightening.

One thing I do try to avoid is not cross posting, this one got out of hand and will stop here for me.

Reply to
Dad

G wrote

Typical Cadillac attitude. "I bought a Cadillac, therefore everything must be done for free, forever and ever.....amen!"

We deal with those types of customers all day long unfortunately. Of course, the tiniest leak that "must" be fixed under warranty is quickly ignored when the Cadillac owner becomes responsible for it. As is everything else.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

"shiden_kai" wrote in news:dcVNe.75780$vj.25597 @pd7tw1no:

nodding in agreement...simular to many vette owners that ive dealt with that feel they must be 1st in line no matter when they drive in. always was entertaining! not a cut to cadi owners but the line has been kinda pushed to middle class of luxury cars with the onslaught of asian lux. cars....it was nice to see them come out with a p/u tho. helps keep lincoln honest.......AIMHO, kjun

Reply to
KjunRaven

So we are a caddy forum now? Man I have learned more about cadilac in the last few days...

Hmmmm vette or caddy?

Reply to
ZÿRiX

It appears the thread has been cross posted.

Reply to
Don Schmidt

Well the Caddy XLR and the Vette are very close to each other once you get under the skin.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Reply to
aliber

Reply to
aliber

you need a special wieless tool to wake up your tire sensor, when you want to retate your tire position. that is a big problem for existing TPMS. because even tire maintain shop, they don't has this tool. it is very expensive, especially each car brand model has different tools. so even tire maintain shop they are not willing to buy it.

there is a one way you can rotate your tire. take back your wheel in correct location. and only change your tire (wheel can not be changed, becasue the tire sensor had monted in the wheel), because the OEM TPMS has no this new function for reconize seosor ID locatoin. so you only can do this way for DIY.

Try Orange TPMS

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Orange TPMS can be easy DIY to rotate your tire from front to rear or from right to lefe side and without any tool. that's a reason Orange TPMS is popular in TPMS market. you also can download their manual from their website. if you have any questoin for TPMS, you also can write email to Orange Electronic Co.Ltd. they are willing to help everybody for TPMS issue.

Reply to
aliber

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