Replace TPMS sensors with new tires and move old set to winter tires?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by mycnam, Mar 28, 2016.

  1. mycnam

    mycnam Member

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    I am going to get a set of new tires for my 2010 Prius this summer. As the car approaching the 6-year mark, is it worth to get a set of 4 Denso TPMS sensors and replace them at the same time to save some labor? I read that these sensors last 5-7 years on average.

    I also run another set of winter tires on steel wheels without any TPMS. Is it worth the trouble and labor cost to install the old TPMS sensors onto these steel wheels? If the 5-7 years range is correct, they might fail anytime in the coming 1 or 2 years.

    I have the Techstream cable so I can program two sets of sensors myself without paying the dealership.
     
    #1 mycnam, Mar 28, 2016
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'd just stay the course: replace the tires on the stock rims, don't touch the TPMS sensors.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Mar 28, 2016
  3. mycnam

    mycnam Member

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    Aren't they going to fail in the next 1-2 years? I don't drive a lot a year, I expect the new set of tires will last 3-5 years. If the sensors fail, I need to pay another $60-80 of labor cost to replace them.

    By the way the cheapest I could find is Rock Auto which has 4 Denso sensors shipped for less than $130.
     
    #3 mycnam, Mar 28, 2016
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Second gen owners with 06~07 model year are just now starting to have failing TPMS, so maybe you're ok for the lifespan of your next set of tires.

    Plus I guess I'm just expressing my opinion: I wouldn't worry about them till they've failed and some authority is forcing me to do something.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Mar 28, 2016
  5. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Mine lasted 9.5-yrs and 150,000 miles.
    You need to tell us your miles on the ODO.
    The TPMS turns itself off when the car is not in use, so the more miles you put on per year, the less life you will have left in the batteries.
     
    #5 wjtracy, Mar 28, 2016
  6. lar.smith42

    lar.smith42 Active Member

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    If it was up to me I would not replace them at all. They aren't really accurate. I think they only alert you when you've lost at least 5 lbs of air. And then they don't tell you which tire is low. You can tell that by looking or checking your air pressure with a gauge at the same time you check your oil.
     
    #6 lar.smith42, Mar 28, 2016
  7. mycnam

    mycnam Member

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    Great, thanks for the data point.

    I bought the car at 67k miles/3 years, currently 95k miles/6 years. But I did a road trip of 10k miles last year, I expect to drive only 5k-7k miles per year in the following few years.

    Good to know that they may last much longer.
     
    #7 mycnam, Mar 28, 2016
  8. mycnam

    mycnam Member

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    Thanks, I will leave them until the next tire change.
     
    #8 mycnam, Mar 28, 2016
  9. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    My 2006 had one sensor fail. When I replaced 2 other tires, I replaced 2 more sensors. There's still one original still working after 9.5 years.

    My wife's CT200h had the TPMS warning light come on. All the tires looked fine, but one of them turned out to have about 20 psi due to a small nail. The warning light did its job by identifying a problem before anything dangerous happened.
     
    #9 RobH, Mar 29, 2016
  10. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I think it's mostly time. I had one failing in rav4 that is little used, under 50,000 miles, at the 8 year mark.
     
    #10 Former Member 68813, Mar 29, 2016
  11. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Pearl's sensors are still working (2007). At any rate, I don't think the sensors will fit in the steel wheels. They are designed for a thicker rim (they are part of the fill valve). If you do try, get new "O" rings for them. Those loose their pliability and may not seal after moving them.
     
    #11 David Beale, Mar 29, 2016
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