Can you move TPMS between summer/winter tires?

[MTLFusion2010]

First question: When I buy winter tires, is it a must to have them fitted with their own pressure sensors or can I use the existing sensors from the summer tires?

The service rep at the dealership is trying to convince me that if you move the sensor it will "break the airtight seal" and become unusable anymore. Sounds a bit fishy to me. Are they trying to take me for a ride?

 

Second Question: What if I run winter tires without the sensors? OK, I know I have to make sure to periodically check the pressure the old fashioned way: on my knees with a pressure gauge! But other than that, are there any bad side-effects, for.ex. will the low pressure warning light glare me in the face all winter long?

Thanks...

[bbf2530]

First question: When I buy winter tires, is it a must to have them fitted with their own pressure sensors or can I use the existing sensors from the summer tires?

The service rep at the dealership is trying to convince me that if you move the sensor it will "break the airtight seal" and become unusable anymore. Sounds a bit fishy to me. Are they trying to take me for a ride?

 

Second Question: What if I run winter tires without the sensors? OK, I know I have to make sure to periodically check the pressure the old fashioned way: on my knees with a pressure gauge! But other than that, are there any bad side-effects, for.ex. will the low pressure warning light glare me in the face all winter long?

Thanks...

 

 

Hi MTL :D . You don't mention whether you are transferring the sensors to new//wheels wheels for the winter, or just putting winter tires on the factory wheels with the TPMS sensors left in place. Either way, your intuition is correct, the Service Rep is trying to take you for a ride.

 

The existing sensors can be safely transferred to winter wheels or left in place and used on the factory wheels if you change over to winter tires.

 

If you run winter wheels/tires without TPMS sensors, the warning light will glare at you all winter long. You can hit the "Reset" button in the Information Center and turn it off temporarily, but it will always return (even best case, every time you turn off and restart the car).

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

[MTLFusion2010]

Hi MTL :D . You don't mention whether you are transferring the sensors to new//wheels wheels for the winter, or just putting winter tires on the factory wheels with the TPMS sensors left in place. Either way, your intuition is correct, the Service Rep is trying to take you for a ride.

 

The existing sensors can be safely transferred to winter wheels or left in place and used on the factory wheels if you change over to winter tires.

 

If you run winter wheels/tires without TPMS sensors, the warning light will glare at you all winter long. You can hit the "Reset" button in the Information Center and turn it off temporarily, but it will always return (even best case, every time you turn off and restart the car).

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

 

Hi bbf2530,

Your reply has been absolutely helpful. Yes I failed to mention that I will get winter tires on their own set of wheels.

Thanks.

Edited September 28, 2010 by MTLFusion2010

[Grey]

If you keep your summer tires in the garage, the light will turn off when in their proximity. My experience with new wheels/tires on my F150 without TPMS sensors.

 

I don't like the idea of moving the valve stem sensors to other wheels. Advisor may be right.

[bbf2530]

Hi bbf2530,

Your reply has been absolutely helpful. Yes I failed to mention that I will get winter tires on their own set of wheels.

Thanks.

 

 

Hi MTL :D . I assume that means you will then have a summer set of wheels/tires and a winter et of wheels/tires. In that case, I would recommend purchasing new sensors for the winter wheels so you have them on each set of wheels, as opposed to transferring them back and forth twice a year between the summer and winter wheels. Otherwise, you will be switching them back and forth twice a year on already mounted tires/wheels for no reason. That means paying a tire shop to dismount/mount two sets of wheels/tires twice a year to transfer the TPMS sensors. That will get expensive.

 

Either that, or learn to live with the TPMS warning light being on most of the winter. As of yet, there is no way to disable the TPMS sensors, short of (I assume) opening up the dash to unplug the warning light bulb. IN fact, disabling the system would be against Federal Law, so I doubt any respectable shop would do it. Of course, in this case, what we do with our own cars is up to us.

 

If I was in your shoes? While I despise the TPMS system myself (sheesh, how hard is it to check the tires once in a while), being a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my cars, I would hate having that TPMS light on all winter, so I would purchase the second set of TPMS sensors. Like Grey, I would not want to be switching them back and forth twice a year.

 

Hi Grey, long time no see, how have you been? Just as an FYI: The Adviser was incorrect. Technically, it is perfectly safe and acceptable to switch them back and forth. However, I feel as you do in that I would not have it done to my car/wheels/sensors. The more they are switched back and forth, the more the chance the TPMS sensors, wheels or other components can become accidentally damaged.

 

Anyway MTL,whatever you decide to do, good luck. :beerchug:

[twiggy144]

Another option is to build a very inexpensive "canister pipe bomb" , and be done with the in dash warning light for the life of the car.

Check the details here: http://clublexus.com/forums/is-second-generation/328044-diy-tpms-canister-pipe-bomb.html

[MTLFusion2010]

Thank you all for the informative replies (@twiggy: "cansiter pipe bomb"? I dare not follow the link!!!).

I am planning to buy anew set of TPMS sensors for the second set of tires. It is justa a matter of managing finances. I have to buy a new set of winter tires and wheels already and was thinking of deffering the cost of the new sensors to next spring when I put the summer tires back on.

B.T.W. what are are those sellers on e-bay thinking of? THey advertise kits @200$ when I can get them from the dealer (Tax in) for slightly less.

[bbf2530]

Thank you all for the informative replies (@twiggy: "cansiter pipe bomb"? I dare not follow the link!!!).

I am planning to buy anew set of TPMS sensors for the second set of tires. It is justa a matter of managing finances. I have to buy a new set of winter tires and wheels already and was thinking of deffering the cost of the new sensors to next spring when I put the summer tires back on.

B.T.W. what are are those sellers on e-bay thinking of? THey advertise kits @200$ when I can get them from the dealer (Tax in) for slightly less.

 

 

Hi MTL :D . Just something else to keep in mind: If you are buying the wheel and tires now to use this winter, waiting until spring (deferring the costs) to install the TPMS sensors will wind up costing you more money.

 

Here is why: When you buy the new winter wheels and tires now, the tire shop can install the sensors now, before they mount and balance the winter tires on the winter wheels. However, if you wait until next year to purchase the TPMS sensors, the tire shop will need to dismount the winter tires (take the tire off the wheel again), install the sensors, then remount and re-balance the tires all over again. They will certainly charge you for doing that (likely in the $20 per tire/wheel range for mount ans balance). So if you are definitely planning on installing the sensors on your winter wheels, it would cost less to do it now. Of course, we all have to take our own financial situations into account, so I certainly understand if that may not be possible for you at this time.

 

It is just something to keep in mind, if your plan is to install TPMS sensors on the winter wheels.

 

As far as the eBay sellers? Well, some of them assume that some buyers will assume that eBay/the Internet is always cheaper and not do any actual shopping. Like they say, "Buyer beware."

 

Whatever you decide to do, good luck. :beerchug:

Edited September 29, 2010 by bbf2530

[Waldo]

Another option is to build a very inexpensive "canister pipe bomb" , and be done with the in dash warning light for the life of the car.

Check the details here: http://clublexus.com/forums/is-second-generation/328044-diy-tpms-canister-pipe-bomb.html

 

Ford systems do not work that way. They require motion to activate the sensors. You can put sensors in a pressurized container or store your summer tires in the garage, but after a few miles the light will come back on.

[twiggy144]

I heard that too. My understanding is once the motion activates the sensors, they stay continuously on: they dont shut off when the vehicules stops. If that were the case, would the dash warning lamp come on while stopped at traffic lights or in the trafic ?

 

The purpose of activation by motion is to save the sensors battery power while on the shelf.

[MTLFusion2010]

Hi MTL :D . Just something else to keep in mind: If you are buying the wheel and tires now to use this winter, waiting until spring (deferring the costs) to install the TPMS sensors will wind up costing you more money.

 

Here is why: When you buy the new winter wheels and tires now, the tire shop can install the sensors now, before they mount and balance the winter tires on the winter wheels. However, if you wait until next year to purchase the TPMS sensors, the tire shop will need to dismount the winter tires (take the tire off the wheel again), install the sensors, then remount and re-balance the tires all over again. They will certainly charge you for doing that (likely in the $20 per tire/wheel range for mount ans balance). So if you are definitely planning on installing the sensors on your winter wheels, it would cost less to do it now. Of course, we all have to take our own financial situations into account, so I certainly understand if that may not be possible for you at this time.

 

It is just something to keep in mind, if your plan is to install TPMS sensors on the winter wheels.

 

As far as the eBay sellers? Well, some of them assume that some buyers will assume that eBay/the Internet is always cheaper and not do any actual shopping. Like they say, "Buyer beware."

 

Whatever you decide to do, good luck. :beerchug:

 

Hi BBF,

Yes that is something I am considering. I am getting new winter tires/wheels. The shop has to take off my summer tires and mount/balance the winter tires, If I buy the sensors now, the shop still has to install them on the winter tires anyway. Moving the existing sensors to the winter tires is just one added step to what the shop has to do already. These sensors will remain on the winter tires, and come spring, when it is time to put back the summer tires, I will install the new sensors and keep them there.

I am weighing the cost of doing this vs. the cost of installing the new sensors on the winter tires now.

As for ways to fool the system, I am now inclined to avoid doing so. We pay good money for technological wizardry to make our life easier. I always visually inspect the tire inflation before driving off in the morning, but I appreciate having a system to alert me if I missed something. Sometimes, a tire loses enough air to cause excessive wear without deforming a lot visually, this is what I hope a TPMS system will catch.

[Waldo]

I heard that too. My understanding is once the motion activates the sensors, they stay continuously on: they dont shut off when the vehicules stops. If that were the case, would the dash warning lamp come on while stopped at traffic lights or in the trafic ?

 

The purpose of activation by motion is to save the sensors battery power while on the shelf.

 

Not quite correct, once in motion they broadcast a signal once every minute or two. It takes several "missed" signals before the computer throws the light on, and even then I think it is smart enough to know you haven't moved.

[twiggy144]

Youre right. I just looked up the factory manual. It reads:

 

'the sensors transmit radio frequency signals ...every 60 seconds when the vehicle speeds exceeds 32kmh ( 20 mph).

The tire pressure sensors are battery operated....'

[MTLFusion2010]

Youre right. I just looked up the factory manual. It reads:

 

'the sensors transmit radio frequency signals ...every 60 seconds when the vehicle speeds exceeds 32kmh ( 20 mph).

The tire pressure sensors are battery operated....'

So if I keep my speed below 32 KPH the car should not notice that I do not have sensors on my winter tires :hysterical2: