jdag

I've done some searching with little success finding an answer on my questions.

1) Should TPMS sensors be replaced?

2) How often?

3) I am changing wheels/tires in the next couple of weeks. Do I need to spend the $300 or so to get new sensors?

Thanks, John

Mark C5

I wouldn't replace them until they quit working.

jdag

How long do they generally last? Do you get an error message on the DIC when they fail?

87SAM

7-10 years.

Mark C5

Mine are 12 years and still going (knock on wood). You will get a service message and when you check pressures the DIC will read XXX for a bad sensor.

jdag

I have a 1999. I assume that they are orig, so maybe I should exercise preventive maintenance (and not have to have them changed once my new tires are mounted).

Mark C5

As you like but consider this; had I followed that path I would have thrown away sensors that had at least two years left on them.

FL_Dave

I've got 10 years on my sensors and they are all working fine. Eight of those years are in FL where it is hot most of the time (and batteries don't like heat).

I've probably got another year on these tires. When they wear out, I'll probably take the wheels down, get the tires removed, then bring the wheels back a day or two later to mount the new tires. That will give me time to carve up the sensors and replace each battery.

If someone has a better idea for a comparable price, please share.

Dave

jcgunn

replaced mine at 7 years, bought new ones from Gene for cheap, sold the old ones on that auction site for $69...now don't have to worry about demounting tires for no good reason. FWIW I run non-runflats and think that the tire sensors on mandatory when one does not have a spare

DeeGee

With a 99 I'd say you're coming to the end of the sensors lives. If you're going to change the tires I'd replace the sensors while you have the tires off the rims. You dont want one to fail a few months after you get your new tires on.

The bad news is yours uses the older sensors which are more expensive. Make sure you get the correct ones because they work at a different frequency to the newer ones.

Quicksilver Vert 01

The cost of dismounting the tire again to replace a dead sensor, and the risk of damaging the wheel another time, just doesn't make sense.

jdag

Yup...I am 99% sure I will just get the new sensors.

~Josh

If you don't have runflats then you'll know when you have an issue.

Trios

A nail in a tire doesn't necessarily rear its ugly head immediately. As someone who runs non-runflats w/ TPMS, I feel that it's great peace of mind that the DIC will let me know if one of my tires is slowly letting go of its pressure, giving me a chance to pull over, fix it with my kit, pump it back up and continue.

~Josh

^ Whatever

(When it comes to non runflats)

This isn't the "save you from yourself" democrat/socialist party, this is a flat tire.

lucky131969

Just like the rest of that stupid instrumentation in the car. Things were soo much simpler back in the day. Once the Communist started taking control of the auto industry, we started having all kinds of silly features like: oil pressure gauges, turn signal indicators, coolant temp gauges, chimes to let you know the key was in the ignition..so you did not lock the keys in the car......and my personal most hated Commie addition......keyless entry.

Better Dead than red.....

~Josh

Damned flat tires....

Trios

My point was trying to say that, with the DIC, it's very possible that a slow leak (say, a small nail that is still in the tire and mostly sealing the leak), I can tell if there's something up pretty handily. This would give me the chance to get off the highway at the next exit, drive a bit to find an empty parking lot or maybe even a Les Schwab Tire Center where they'll fix the leak for free and get me back on the road.

During this whole time, my tire would never actually be FLAT. That's a great boon, in my opinion.

~Josh

You don't get a warning on the DIC unless it's pretty low. By that time (when the display pops up) on a non run-flat tire you would have known physically from feel through the seat.... it's not the same as a slow leak on a factory run-flat.

phils C5 vette

i got a full ten years out of mine. At best, only one started to respond slowly when the car was cold after ten years.

I had them rebuilt, and out of the five i had rebuilt, two worked,
Now only one of the rebuilts work properly. Yes one of five after 6 months.


I order new ones after having the old ones rebuilt and they failed.

I just bought new rims, and will be installing the new TPSs on the new rims