97 Tire Pressure Sensor question
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46
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97 Tire Pressure Sensor question
Please bear with me, I don't work on this thing so some of this may sound redundant or silly... I had to replace a tire after which that sensor didn't work and I figured it got left with the old tire. The other day, I saw a reading from it but then it went out again. In reading about them, I found how to reprogram them. Unfortunately, that tire would not reset and apparently I can't bypass it to reprogram the now not working two back tire sensors. So, is there a way to bypass the bad sensor and reprogram the back tires or do I have to replace the whole sensor? And when I buy the other three new tires, do I have to replace the sensors or can the old ones be used? Thanks for your help.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
there are a few issues here. Its possible the sensor has died, or because I'm guessing it worked before you had the tire replaced, that the tire tech destroyed it when changing the tire.. A very common occurrence where tire techs are not real mechanics.
the sensor always stays with the wheel. a simple check, would show that the valve stem of the tires that work are different then the valve stem on the tire that was changed. the wheels with the sensors will have a nut at the base of the valve stem. the valve stem and the sensor is a one piece unit that is held in place buy the nut at the base.. IM guessing that a rubber valve stem ( 1.00 ) was used when the tire tech realized he broke the sensor off.. It their fault but its hard to prove it now... the sensor for your car is 1o0.00 each. They can not be turned off on your early C5 car.
the sensor always stays with the wheel. a simple check, would show that the valve stem of the tires that work are different then the valve stem on the tire that was changed. the wheels with the sensors will have a nut at the base of the valve stem. the valve stem and the sensor is a one piece unit that is held in place buy the nut at the base.. IM guessing that a rubber valve stem ( 1.00 ) was used when the tire tech realized he broke the sensor off.. It their fault but its hard to prove it now... the sensor for your car is 1o0.00 each. They can not be turned off on your early C5 car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
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From: South Dakota
If they are the originals from 1997, they are probably dead sensors. There is a battery in each sensor that has an expected life of about 10 years. I had some originals in my '99 that were still working, but I consider that lucky.
There are some places that sell them cheaper than others, but there have been some posts about the aftermarket brands not working right. Personally I would stay with the OEM or Schrader (they made the originals). I also did the upgrade to the cheaper '01-'04 style, but that also requires new fobs and receiver to make them work.
Good luck.
There are some places that sell them cheaper than others, but there have been some posts about the aftermarket brands not working right. Personally I would stay with the OEM or Schrader (they made the originals). I also did the upgrade to the cheaper '01-'04 style, but that also requires new fobs and receiver to make them work.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46
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Thanks for your advice. Sounds like I should replace them all just to save the trouble. No, I have no experience with them other than fighting with this one on the front. So apparently there is no way to bypass a bad one when you are retraining them?
