TPMS programming question.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,614
Likes: 347
From: No Where USA
TPMS programming question.
Just got new wheels, tires and TPMS for my 2005. I'm not ready to put the new stuff on the car but can I program the TPMS for the car. Put the new wheel and tire in the position they will be in and program them. And of course mark which tire goes where.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 2,322
From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
You don’t even need to put the sensors in the rims. Leave the sensor in its package and put on the ground 6” or so from the tire. Put the tool up against the package aimed at the sensor. The new sensor should report 0 since it’s not in a pressurized wheel. Don’t forget to label the package with the wheel position so the sensor ends up in the correct position, but you could always reprogram them if they don’t.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 2,322
From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
Having read your question again, you can only have 4 sensors programmed at a time. The sensors which are in your existing wheels would be deleted from memory. So if you intend to drive the car after programming the new sensors but don’t install them, the pressure will report as ‘XX’ for each wheel assuming you are out of range of the new sensors, and 0 if they are close to or in the car. Not an ideal situation. The nannies might limit what you can do.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,238
Likes: 257
From: Tampa FL
Not seeing the need to pre program the TMPS With reading of 0 or xxx is not an advantage. And with it taking 5 minutes to program them in first place. Seems ill advised to me but your advantage may vary!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 2,322
From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
The advantage to preprogramming the sensors before they’re installed is that you avoid the cost of having to remove them and replace them if it turns out that they are incompatible with your car. Seems to happen often enough from various threads on this forum. I agree though that driving around with the sensors not programmed is not a great idea.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 2,322
From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
You need to do some thinking. If the sensors are incompatible, and this happens, it’s going to cost you if you supplied the sensors and the tire has to be dismounted to insert the correct sensors. If you’ve got the $10 tool, use it before you install the sensors to make sure.
