Pros and Cons of Stand-Alone TPMS System

Most all legitimate tire shops are NOT going to let a car drive off with a TPMS light on... They deal with this challenge all the time and have plenty of ways to resolve it and likely no charge to you other than cost of parts if you're buying a new set of tires from them. So I'd not pay too much concern to internet complaints from people who got their tires done at a shop too incompetent to properly handle TPMS issues. That's the exception, not the rule...

 

I think it depends. If you're faithful to do a walk-around the car and check the tires then you can just ignore the annoying TPMS light.

But if you want to install a TPMS system it's super easy. We have them on the trailer tires in our 32-foot camper and the monitor just mounts on the windshield. A couple of years ago, I was making a right turn and didn't notice they had a cement curb there (dumb place for it) and the front-right wheel hit it and blew out. My monitor made a noise and a red light flashed...letting me know one of the tires had lost pressure. They also have them for cars...not expensive at all and the sensors just screw onto the tire valve stem. Let me post a link to the brand we have....you only need to change out the batteries in each sensor about every 3 years...movement makes them start transmitting so they last a long time.
Wow the new ones have color displays...that's cool!

 

Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 USC 30122(b)), which includes a "make inoperative" provision. This provision "prohibits manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or motor vehicle repair businesses from knowingly making inoperative, in whole or in part, any part of a device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle in compliance with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard."

 

I had to get rid of the red light to register my 2010 when I bought it used, sensors were at 9+ years, so went to big independent tire store, bought 4 new sensors @ $45 each, $70 labor to install and program and I was on my way. They will always squeeze me in for a safety check with no appointment, so I bought my last set of tires there. And they matched Costco's price.

 

This is probably similar to why auto parts stores will still read error codes for you but they won't clear them anymore...

 

What big independent store is that? I went to one that starts with a G, and they told me they couldn't get the sensors they brought in programmed with their tool. I'm thinking that it's because they didn't mount the sensors first and inflate the tires. They told me they tried to program the sensors before they mounted it.

Some Amazon reviews stated that some TPMS sensors won't activate unless they "see" 30 psi pressure, so programming off the car, before mounting inside the wheel/tire is not possible.

I am tempted to get a small pressure cooker pot and mount a Schrader tire valve stem in the cover so tire sensors can be pressurized to 30 psi to activate them for programming before they are mounted. Therefore, saving a bunch of labor removing the wheels, dismounting the tires, changing out the TPMS sensors, and mounting the tire before finding out whether the TPMS sensors can be programmed or not.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Lex Brodie’s on Queen St. in town

 

No. You can install the external sensor on any valve stem. It is just a giant valve stem cap. However, with a long rubber stem, the sensor is more prone to damage? And, I think you may not be able to install the locking nut that comes with the kit to prevent theft. BUT, I have never used those locking nuts. No one is going to steal the ugly TPMS sensors, I guarantee that.

 

Here is a photo of the external TPMS sensor on a regular rubber valve stem. It was on the full-size spare for my PP when I tried driving on it. It had no internal TPMS, so this was the solution to monitor the tire pressure.

 

The full-size spare of the photo above was used only temporarily so no more than ~20 miles or so. I saw no scratch on the rim. I used the external sensor on my car for ~3 years both on my winter wheels with rubber valves and on OEM wheels with OEM internal sensor/metal valves. Never noticed any scratch on the rims. I am sure I drove several interstate hwy trips with the winter wheels, but can't say I was going at 85mph. The speed limit is 70mph around here.

Here is a photo of my winter wheel rim with the external TPMS sensor installed and later replaced with an aftermarket Autel TPMS sensor (internal). The wheel had a regular rubber valve, but it had a decorative metal stem sleeve. That might have helped to strengthen the rubber stem. The photo was taken when the wheels were ~1year old, but after a few more years of use, I don't see a prominent scratch on the wheels around the valve. The second photo was taken 2 years later (last Nov) when I had the Autel TPMS sensor installed on the rim. The photo may not be of the same wheel, but they all had the same setup. You don't see any scratch.

In any case, you are going to be using it on your 2012 Prius with dead TPMS sensors, aren't you? They all have a short metal stem, so why are you worried about using the external sensors on rubber stems?

 

BTW, here is a photo of an external TPMS sensor on the OEM alloy wheel with an OEM internal TPMS sensor/valve stem on my PP without a wheel cover. Gen3 OEM wheels are not much different I think.

 

Self-perpetuating myth. What's the posted speed limit btw?