New Wheels WITHOUT TPMS

I run winter wheels without tpms. The car actually picks up a signal from the sensors in the other wheels in my garage, so the light doesn't actually come on until about 1 hour of driving.

I've just gotten really good at ignoring the light. I wouldn't suggest disabling it if you live anywhere with inspections, or if you ever want to get tires installed by a shop that requires working tpms (which is most reputable places because of stupid liability laws).

My other car has one failed sensor, so I ignore the light there too.

 

I have a set of winter wheels and tires I have put on my PRIME without TPMS. On PRIME, TPMS error light is way on the right side of the dash. I already have some other warning or caution light on near it always. Thus, the TPMS warning light staying on does not bother me much.

That being said. Since you live in Hawaii, you must not be needing the separate wheels for winter tires. lol And Hawaii is suppose to be one of those states that requires working TPMS in order to pass the state inspection. So, unless you can convince your state inspector, you are going to fail the inspection if you disable the TPMS. My feeling is that disabling light may get you pass the inspection, but that would be cheating and I have no idea what consequence you may face if you are caught.

 

I run 17x7 wheels with 205/50/17 Non-LRR tires.

Buy a Used/New set of 4 good condition TPMS sensors off Ebay for roughly ~$60 to ~$80 dollars shipped.



Rob43

 

Or if you still have the original wheels, just move the TPMS sensors to the new ones.

 

May or may not work, just what I've read: there can be fit problems, especially aftermarket rims, if the internal contours of the rim are different.

 

How about the following states
Alabama
Georgia
New Mexico

 

AFAIK, those states do not have mandated periodic safety state inspections. Alabama is listed as having mandated safety inspection, but only prior to sale or transfer of ownership. Georgia and New Mexico only have periodic vehicle emissions inspections, not safety inspections. Vehicle inspection in the United States - Wikipedia

To be sure, follow this notice from the TireRack:If your state is not listed below, please check with local law enforcement officials to confirm restrictions in your area.

 

New England's not on the list, but as I recall you DO need functioning TPMS, to pass yearly inspection. Which has put you through some hoops with snow tires?

 

When I first bought a car equipped with TPMS, I thought I needed functioning TPMS to pass my state inspection, but that turned out to be false information at least for the state I live. Among New England states, Vermont and Rhode Island seem to be the states that require functioning TPMS, not for my state. In any case, the state inspection, at least for ours, is not done based on objective standards. Depending on where I take my car for an inspection, one inspector may fail my car for one reason or another, and take the same car for a different inspection station it will pass no problem. It's a racket.

 

Of course not. We don't have a state by that name.

Best way to 'remove' it is to cover it with black electrical tape. This method is faster, cheaper, and more easily reversible when needed, than any other method.

If he is still using those wheels for seasonal use, there should be no consequence if that wheel set's season doesn't overlap his annual inspection date.

Otherwise, the worst consequence should simply be flunking the inspection, no registration renewal allowed until the other wheel set with working TPMS is swapped back on. So some extra home labor is required for each annual inspection.

Selling the car with a truly disabled warning light could bring on some actual liability. That is why any 'disabling' should be very easily and cheaply reversible, i.e. just black tape on the light.

 

Federal law 49 USC 30122(b) requires the tire dealer "not make inoperative" any safety device including tire pressure monitoring sensors. That includes selling wheels without sensors if the car comes in with working sensors.

“A manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or motor vehicle repair business may not knowingly make inoperative any part of a device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment in compliance with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under this chapter....”
Dealing With the Legalities of TPMS: ‘Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse’ - Service - Modern Tire Dealer

Years ago I had to replace a Blizzak due to a puncture that I didn't notice until I'd driven on the tire to the point of damaging the tire. I wish I'd had TPMS on that car back in that year.

 

You would have spent more on the TPMS over the life of the car than on the new tire.

TPMS is a good safety feature, but the implementation is terrible. We need a way to easily program other sensors for winter tire changeover.

And with all the screens in cars, there's no excuse not to show information about tire pressure to help diagnose why the TPMS light is on.

 

Chuggy Pig's state (NH) inspection is due in June (my birthday) and at that time of the year is wearing summer shoes which are the OEM 16" alloys fitted with OEM TPMS. The winter steelies don't have TPMS... (see threads passim for my solution).

 

what i hate is that some tpms can't be reprogrammed so your car knows what position the wheel is in after rotation the tires your self, w/out a special tool. A few cars let you reprogram wheel position yourself, not unlike the prius SKS fob, where you go thru the appropriate machinations to avoid paying the dealer to do a relatively simple process.

many new car models show you individual tire pressure, and thus, which tire may be under/over inflated. ergo, the 1st comment.

.

 

Many new cars, but not the Prime. I think even the newest 4runner can show it, so Toyota has the technology.