TPMS light on - how to fix?
- Thread starter Indus
- Start date
- May 11, 2002
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Started doing some research on this before actually going to the Tire Shop..
Do you think Walmart Auto Centers might be better?
I think PepBoys charges $60 per tire to do it.. not sure about the local shop yet but I've heard of Walmart $28 per tire TLE.
source: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...ce-to-get-toyota-tpms-sensor-replaced.374024/
sdifox
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There is no way you are going to pay 28 dollars for parts and labour.
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- May 11, 2002
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sdifox
No Lifer
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I have no idea what the book rate is for swapping out tpms stem. But the part alone is in the 40 range. Then you have to jack up car, clone code, take tire off, deflate, install new sensor, re inflate, balance and remount on car I would say at least 30 min per tire.
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- May 11, 2002
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Ok I got to the local tire shop, he wants 100 per tire which I think is ridiculous as I can jack up, take tire off and put it on again. Never done the clone code, delfate, re inflate. Maybe I need tools?
sdifox
No Lifer
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You need a special tool for that. Something like this.
And of course the programable sensors.
This set has 8 sensors
Sensors are fragile so having a shop do it is a safer bet.
Don't know how you are going to balance your wheel.
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iRONic
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Red Squirrel
No Lifer
They need to take the tire off the rim to access these so it's a pain. These are such a terrible design in general, there's got to be a better way to do it, like have a port somewhere on the wheel with a standard thread. Not good to put something with a battery in an inaccessible place.
I did mistake of opting not to get new ones put in when I got new tires and now the dashboard message harasses me every time I get in my truck and I need to cancel it each time. I would have figured there would be a way to disable it, but it's not really doable, I just learned to live with it. I check my tire pressure the old fashioned way.
Programming new sensors is also not trivial, as you need a special tool that only tire shops will have. I heard of people putting the sensors in a tube of compressed air, but if you're going to go through the trouble of paying someone to program them may as well just get them installed properly and not drive around with a pipe bomb onboard your vehicle.
I did mistake of opting not to get new ones put in when I got new tires and now the dashboard message harasses me every time I get in my truck and I need to cancel it each time. I would have figured there would be a way to disable it, but it's not really doable, I just learned to live with it. I check my tire pressure the old fashioned way.
Programming new sensors is also not trivial, as you need a special tool that only tire shops will have. I heard of people putting the sensors in a tube of compressed air, but if you're going to go through the trouble of paying someone to program them may as well just get them installed properly and not drive around with a pipe bomb onboard your vehicle.
sdifox
No Lifer
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TPMS sensor failure may disable traction control, depending on vehicle model.
sdifox
No Lifer
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There are cars that use rotational speed or ride height to determine if you need more air.They need to take the tire off the rim to access these so it's a pain. These are such a terrible design in general, there's got to be a better way to do it, like have a port somewhere on the wheel with a standard thread. Not good to put something with a battery in an inaccessible place.
I did mistake of opting not to get new ones put in when I got new tires and now the dashboard message harasses me every time I get in my truck and I need to cancel it each time. I would have figured there would be a way to disable it, but it's not really doable, I just learned to live with it. I check my tire pressure the old fashioned way.
Programming new sensors is also not trivial, as you need a special tool that only tire shops will have. I heard of people putting the sensors in a tube of compressed air, but if you're going to go through the trouble of paying someone to program them may as well just get them installed properly and not drive around with a pipe bomb onboard your vehicle.
- May 11, 2002
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Hmm I had no idea that was the case.. my wife recently thought the car was driving really erratic after the sensor light came on.
I even thought the lugnuts had become loose and were wobbling so I jacked it up and retightened em to 100 ft-lbs each but no they were good.
Yep, Volvo is one that uses rotational speed now.
I've been lucky; my car is 13 years old and still has the original sensors and no issues. I guess I'll get them changed with my tires this fall.
I've been lucky; my car is 13 years old and still has the original sensors and no issues. I guess I'll get them changed with my tires this fall.
sdifox
No Lifer
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Your manual will tell you if the traction control is affected by tpms sensor failure. Also check manual for what torque value you need for the lugnuts. Too much or too little they can loosen.
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BonzaiDuck
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I had a 2001 Toyota Highlander that I drove for about 10,000 miles over 15 years but it was becoming too expensive to maintain. Much cheaper with Ford or even older cars if you can still find the parts.
BTW as someone who has driven a 1983 Toyota Cresside, 1991 Corolla, 2001 Highlander.. the only feature that I would miss in those cars vs modern is the Back Up Camera. I don't know if it's possible to install it in older vehicles but if it is, that's worth it!
Red Squirrel
No Lifer
I've been in some cars that have a backup camera and I can definitely see that being nice to have. That and heated seats. Could live without either of those, but they are definitely some of the things in modern cars that are welcome features.
sdifox
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You can get after market backup camera.
mindless1
Diamond Member
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If it's not going to be long till you get new tires, then I'd just wait.
Anticipating that my sensors would not last the life of my next set of tires, I just bought 4 sensors on Rock Auto ahead of time. That was the cheapest source for major brand (Denso, in my case) at the time. They were normal new sensors, not clone type, 4 were about $155 delivered after the typical Rock Auto 5% off coupon code. IIRC the original Ford factor sensors were made by Schrader and Rock Auto also sold those, though color of the plastic can vary.
I had tires shipped to walmart from an online seller, and they put the sensors in while the old tires were off, and programmed them for some small nominal fee like $2 more per wheel than the regular mount and balance package price - I mean the cheaper of their mount and balance options that didn't include road hazard or anything else, just the basic remove/mount/balance new tires. At least my local walmart did have the tool to program them, which I asked about ahead of time as I did not want clone type sensors.
I am not certain about a 2012 model year Explorer but I think it is old enough that it does need new non-clone sensors programmed with a tool, while somewhere around 2016 or thereafter, they would detect there is a new signal and pick it up and program themselves, no tool needed, just patience to drive a little till it happens. Maybe there was also some mode to put the vehicle in with keys and interior buttons then let air out of one tire at a time in a certain order, I forget the specifics at the moment, or maybe that was only for pre-(whichever year...) 2016 models. Around the model year change I'm thinking of, was also when they went from only being able to tell you that "some" sensor was bad (or tire inflation low? I forget which, possibly both), to which wheel it was on the info screen.
Anticipating that my sensors would not last the life of my next set of tires, I just bought 4 sensors on Rock Auto ahead of time. That was the cheapest source for major brand (Denso, in my case) at the time. They were normal new sensors, not clone type, 4 were about $155 delivered after the typical Rock Auto 5% off coupon code. IIRC the original Ford factor sensors were made by Schrader and Rock Auto also sold those, though color of the plastic can vary.
I had tires shipped to walmart from an online seller, and they put the sensors in while the old tires were off, and programmed them for some small nominal fee like $2 more per wheel than the regular mount and balance package price - I mean the cheaper of their mount and balance options that didn't include road hazard or anything else, just the basic remove/mount/balance new tires. At least my local walmart did have the tool to program them, which I asked about ahead of time as I did not want clone type sensors.
I am not certain about a 2012 model year Explorer but I think it is old enough that it does need new non-clone sensors programmed with a tool, while somewhere around 2016 or thereafter, they would detect there is a new signal and pick it up and program themselves, no tool needed, just patience to drive a little till it happens. Maybe there was also some mode to put the vehicle in with keys and interior buttons then let air out of one tire at a time in a certain order, I forget the specifics at the moment, or maybe that was only for pre-(whichever year...) 2016 models. Around the model year change I'm thinking of, was also when they went from only being able to tell you that "some" sensor was bad (or tire inflation low? I forget which, possibly both), to which wheel it was on the info screen.
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mindless1
Diamond Member
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You can choose between license plate frame mount or a module elsewhere, then whether it shows on an aftermarket rearview mirror or a separate screen you have to mount somewhere.
Next you have to run the wiring, unless there's something now that has a wireless data link, which is quite possible but probably costs more for decent quality, but you'll still need a power feed, whether you tap into the vehicle wiring or instead use a lighter outlet and/or USB port powered *however* you decide to.
If you have basic tools and old school vehicle wiring aptitude, it could be DIY in an afternoon.
NutBucket
Lifer
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On my Honda (current wheels lack sensors), it actually prevents you from disabling traction control? Help me understand!
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