TPMS ?

- B
- Bob
  
  Contact options for registered users
posted
12 years ago

Thu, Sep 22, 2011 4:49 PM

Hi,

Will be bringing car in to have tires rotated, and thought it might be a good idea to know something about this first:

Re TPMS and tire rotation:

a. does the monitor go with the tire it is in now, or must the rubber be taken off the rim to get at the sensor, and thus be able to move it to the new tire that is going on that side ?

Or, is there some computer setting, that they presumably know how to re-set, to account for the new arrangement ?

Or,... ?

BTW: what is the general accuracy of this sensor/system ?

How is tire rotation and the TPMS sensors handled, please ?

Thanks, Bob

- H
- hls
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
12 years ago

Thu, Sep 22, 2011 5:33 PM

Please mention what sort of car you have.. There have been different systems employed. Mine has the sensor inside the wheel. Easily serviced if needed, when the tire is off the rim.

The system can be reset without having to mess with the sensor directly.

- S
- Sanity Clause
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
12 years ago

Sat, Sep 24, 2011 6:28 AM

The sensor stays with the *wheel*, normally attached to the valve stem inside the tire where you can't see it, though a few rare cars have it strapped to the "drop center" of the wheel. You don't normally need to touch the sensors for a simple rotation.

Depends on what you're driving.

Some cars don't care where the wheels are, and will automatically "re-learn" once they're in place and you drive away.

One customer's Caddy needs to be put into "learn" mode, then the air pressure lowered (or raised) on each tire in turn, until the horn beeps, meaning "next tire, please".

Another's Ford is also put into "learn" mode, then a magnet is held close to the valve stem until the horn beeps, "next tire, please".

Some cars (I think it's newer Toyotas) have the serial number of each sensor programmed into the TMPS computer, along with the position on the car. Any sensor replacement or movement (IE: rotation) needs a special radio- frequency scanner to get the serial numbers from the sensors, then reprogram the computer with the "valid" serial numbers and their new locations.