My Front Left sensor won't chirp. All four had been reading into the DIC just fine although the front R/L were reversed from when the tire shop replaced my two front tires about six months previously. I thought I would use the magnet method and simply retrain them myself. The front Right chirps, but the Front Left refuses to respond. I took it to the local GM shop in town and they looked at it and decided it was bad. I wish I knew to ask them what tool they checked it with or if they just tried to reset it with a magnet like I did.

With an older C5 like mine I understand that I have the magnetically activated sensors, they are a little larger than the newer electronically activated sensors. So hopefully this isn't a dumb question, but does the information about the electronics being on one side of the stem and the magnets being on the other side apply to mine as well? I didn't know where exactly to place the magnet when retraining mine... I think I'll head into the garage and play around a bit more.

The speaker magnet sounds like a nice trick, I had been using a few hard disk drive magnets which are pretty strong.. but perhaps not as strong as a subwoofer that I've got lying around.

Taking the sensor out and training it also sounds like a nice thing to try, if nothing works in the garage I will head back to the tire store and have them pop it off for me to test it from drivers seat.

One question, is it enough to simply hold the magent next to the stem, or is there some motion that is required? A moving magetic field creating a current in a loop or something like that...

Great thread!

 

I use/used a smaller speaker (5 1/2" i think) and worked fine. Just hold it next to the stem for at least a few seconds.

Like you said, you got the other side to respond so you were doing it right.

The one that was with the tech tool i used was like a donut and sat around the valve stem.
Id say the dealer most likely checked with a similar tool, not just a magnet...but ya never know.

As in my case, its not responding so something is not right.

 

Semi-Update on my situation....

I stopped by a tire shop this afternoon and got them to remove the LF wheel and take out the sensor for me. (They also tried to get it to respond....no go.)

I took some pics of the original sensor and the 'new' one....

New one on right..

New one again...

Original one...


The GM #s are different, the new one reads-GM10422622
And the orig reads-GM10438853.

So, I can only hope Gene sent me the wrong sensor maybe??
Im gonna see if the parts dept at GM is open here today and check with them.

 

If you go to ....

http://www.gmpartshouse.com

and enter the "NEW" number (10422622) it responds with the message "Part number 10422622 was superceded by part number 10438853" and a description of part 10438853

Gene sent you the correct part .... BUT ... it is a VERY old part (manufactured March 1999 according to the stamping .... your "original" was made December of 2002)

I'm guessing that "new" one has a worn out battery .... see if Gene will send you a replacement .....

 

Your right Black,
I took a look at Genes' site a short while after and plugged in both serial #'s and saw that....damn.
I never made it to GM today either, but you say my 'original' was made 2002' must mean the PO put new sensors in(obviously).

Brings me to another question, did gm just mass produce these things back then and stop making them now, or last few years anyways?

I read that the sensors after a minute or two of in-activity 'turn themselves off' so to prolong the battery life.

Anyways, Ill contact Gene or my local GM on monday and check it out.

 

The sensors are made for GM by this company .....

http://www.schrader-bridgeport.com/

If you select "TPMS On-Line Catalog" on the left of the home page and enter the data for your Corvette you will see their part number for the sensor. My guess is they make them in "batches" ... as GM's parts inventory gets low they order X amount. Keep in mind that your sensor may be in use in other types of GM vehicles, so it is quite possible they will be manufacturing batches for a long time to come.

The sensors don't ever turn off completely (that I know of) .... when "inactive" (no physical movement) for several minutes they reduce the rate they transmit data from something like once per minute to about once per hour. Movement causes them to start transmitting at the higher rate again, as does a strong magnetic field.

Oh, and Gene won't be in on Monday .... it is a national holiday here in the US (Memorial Day) so try him on Tuesday .....

 

Right, I forgot it was a holiday for you guys down south.


Hopefully tomorrow, If I have time, Ill stop in at Chev with my invoice from Gene and tell them the scoop, hopefully theyll do the right thing.
Thanks for the info on the manuf. of the sensors

Oh, I completely forgot that when I got that new sensor put it in (back in November) that they also tried to sync it and said they got no response from it, But I disregarded it because I figured they didnt know what they were doing and I would just follow the re-program steps myself.
So that tells me that the sensor was dead from the get go and it wasnt damaged. (It also doesnt look damage either)

 

The old one is the 99 and the new one is the 02 but the 02 is still old. You can have 02 sensors in your 00' car (unless someone changed them out already in 02.

 

The new one, as in the one I got from Gene is the 10422622, the 1999 sensor. The one I broke that was in the car when I bought it is the 2002 sensor.

 

Then he sent you a sensor that was 9 years old, these old last 7-8 yrs, he should without any problems swap it out for you.

 

Yup, she is definately an oldy. I didnt know those were date stamps on there or I would have checked when I got it.

Just to clarify, the first pic in my previous post....The broken stem sensor is the one I broke early last summer, the one on the right is the one Gene sent me. Also note it has a thicker seal on it.

2nd pic shows the one gene sent me.
3rd pic shows the one I broke, was in the tire when I bought the car.
I sent Gene an email with a link to this thread, hopefully he might be able to help me out

 

Haha, well just as I expected. It looks like ill be eating this one

I went to chevy dealer this afternoon, basically said they cant replace it, they'd have to test it, and they have to put it in the car to test it.....which equals more money out of my pocket.

Usually a part like this, ya know just under 100 bucks, i wouldnt be so pissed off, but Im in school right now full time, havent worked since november, yada yada....I have NO money.
All I want is a sensor that F***ing works.....

 

Gene should replace this for you .... he sent you a NINE year old part that GM says has a battery good for about 7 years ...... either he should give you your money back, or send you a working replacement part with a relatively recent manufacture date.

 

I sent Gene an email on the weekend with a link to this thread, I mentioned there was pictures as well.

I received an email today, basically telling me what he told me the first time- He doesnt honor GM warranties and take invoice to my dealer.

Which is fine, I understand and respect his policy.

But your right, a 9+ year old part which has a life of 6-8 isnt good for me, or anyone.

 

Well that's easy ... I'll no longer recommend Gene as a place people should go for parts ..... that is that he won't replace the part ....

 

The dealer told my cousin (the past owner of my 2000 frc) that there were no pressure sensors on the car.

1. Is it possible they didn't know that for sure?
2. Can you tell if you have sensors with out looking inside the tire?
3. If the batteries are dead would the sensors show up as missing?
4. Is it easy to replace the batteries?

I heard something about an antenna but I don't see any in the fotos.

 

A "regular" wheel has a valve stem in it through which you can add air to the tire. If you look at most wheels the valve stem is rubber coated, and is held into the wheel itself by a flared rubber base. A Corvette wheel with a TPMS has a valve stem that is held into the wheel by a nut that you can see on the outside of the wheel .... no nut ... no TPMS ...

If the car is giving you a SERVICE TPMS message on the DIC there are 3 possibilities:

1) your sensors are missing
2) the batteries are dead
3) the sensors are not programmed to the car

The batteries are "potted" inside the sensors. Very few people have had success replacing thm ..... purchasing new sensors is about the only way to "replace" the batteries.

The antenna for the sensors is internal ..... there is no external antenna that you can see.

If you need to order new sensors ... go here ...

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com

here are the part numbers for your car ....

97-2000 Sensors

10438853 - sensor
15234846 - nut
25715243 - grommet

you will need one of each per wheel .... you will need to take your wheels to a tire shop to have the sensors installed, the car must then be "programmed" for the new sensors.

IMPORTANT - only take the sensors to a tire shop (or other service location) that has a TPMS test tool. Have them test all 4 sensors BEFORE starting the installation and get them to note INWRITING that all 4 sensors are good. AFTER installation have them re-test and demonstrate that all 4 are working ... this ensures they pay to replace ANY sensor damaged in installation.

 

I just looked and saw only a rubber valve stem coming outa the mag so I know exactly where I stand now. Gracios mucho.
Just have to decide where or not to spend $400 + install cost.

 

If you do decide to get them, follow Blacks advice and get confirmation on the sensors working/not working in WRITING.....dont make my mistake.


As for my situation, I got email back from Gene saying they receive fresh sensors almost every day and theres no chance they'd have one and send it out from 1999.

So really theres only 2 things that could have happened.
Either, I did just happen do get unlucky and get a part almost 10 years old, OR When I had my new tires put on they somehow managed to mix up all my sensors and also one went dead within the time the car was at the shop (cpl hrs). Prior to going to shop all 3 sensors worked.
The shop also told me they tested it before putting in and got no response, same after it was installed. I looked on invoice from shop and it was not written down

I unfortunately did not take a picture of the sensor when I got it or before installation so I can not be 100% this is the same sensor, $hit happens I guess............

My only other idea is I can attempt to replace the battery myself, got nothing to lose really, Im also gonna try another Chevy dealer with invoice from Gene and see if I can get it replaced.



If I wasnt a poor school boy right now Id get the other 3 tires de-mounted and check the sensors, If theres one with a date stamp within the last two years then I know the shop mixed them up....