Is TPMS Service Suitable When Buying New Tires?

Is TPMS Service Suitable When Buying New Tires?

New tires will get you where you’re going quicker and more efficiently than old tires.

The lack of friction and increased air space between the tire and the road will provide a smoother ride.

Everyone knows new tires are a better investment in the long run than their less reliable counterparts.

Yes. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System is an effective way to protect your vehicle from a blowout. When the TPMS reads low tire pressure, it triggers a low-pressure warning light or sound that warns and alerts you of a potential tire blowout.

If your vehicle has a TPMS system, it is strongly suitable to service the sensors at 80,000 miles or before the end of the manufacturer’s warranty for safe driving.

TPMS sensors will cut off airflow to an un-inflated tire to avoid over-inflating it. Once you have them serviced, there is no need for an air pump like every other repair on the vehicle.

The sensors themselves are permanent and will last a lifetime. However, you can improve the sensor with an upgrade.

TPMS sensor upgrades are available for about $30 at your local auto parts store, and an expert should be the one to do it to ensure the correct fit and performance.

Some problems that you can repair in the first place are:

• Reading low tire pressure when none exists.
• Occasionally registering a non-existent tire leak.
• Indicating problems with tires that are already damaged or worn out
• Occasionally shutting off the engine on a perfect set of tires, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe position on the road. Sometimes, it conserves fuel while unnecessary.

They can also help prevent stolen wheels and tires, aid in faster repair times, and ease auto service technicians’ workflow.

The TPMS sensor upgrade is a relatively inexpensive way to ensure your safety and save some cash on unnecessary repairs.

Do You Have To Rebuild TPMS When Changing Tires?

No. You should check vehicle tires periodically for correct air pressure to ensure the vehicle operates safely and efficiently.

Most modern vehicles have TPMS sensors that measure and transmit tire pressure readings to the vehicle’s engine control unit. You do this for two reasons:

A) To alert drivers that a tire may need air as soon as one or more tires become 25% under-inflated.

B) To alert drivers of a potential flat tire by indicating when a tire pressure reading falls below the load-range-specific operating pressure for that tire.

Although not as common, some tires can use a non-standard gauge size that defies the need to readjust the tire pressure once installed.

TPMS sensors detect and register changes in millimeters of mercury for any tire.

While a TPMS reduces the risk of tire under-inflation, lack of air pressure can cause significant damage to both tires and the vehicle.

For example, if you don’t correctly inflate the spare tire, it’s unlikely that the vehicle will pass a safety inspection.

To achieve maximum performance from modern tires and vehicles, you must regularly check tires for proper inflation pressure specified by their respective manufacturers.

The TPMS system is a reliable method of protecting the vehicle against over-inflation and under-inflation tires.

However, it’s essential to remember that the TPMS system only works if it accurately maintains tire pressure.

For this reason, consult a vehicle’s owner’s manual to confirm that the correct maintenance and repair procedures are being followed.

Virtually all modern vehicles have built-in tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).

The most important feature of the TPMS is that it allows the driver to monitor tire pressure and other operating conditions of the vehicle with a keypad on the vehicle’s dashboard.

Can One Use Their Old TPMS On Their New Wheels?

Yes. As long as you have the same size of wheels (rims) and the same type of TPMS sensors, you’re all set.

If your wheels are larger or smaller than your TPMS sensor, or the type of TPMS sensor is different (e.g., direct wired vs. wireless), then no dice.

The first step in installing new tires on your vehicle is to remove them from their current position on your old rims and install them onto new rims that fit.

You do that by spinning your wheels. You can access the TPMS sensors in two ways.

Method 1: Your old wheels are the same size as your new rims, and your old TPMS sensors work just fine with them.

Method 2: Your new wheels are larger/smaller than your old rims, or your new TPMS sensors work differently from those on your old wheels.

You’ll have to access the TPMS sensors through your tire in both cases.

If you’re unsure about this part of the process. To access the sensors, you’ll need to disassemble: First, unbolt that wheel from the car and place it on a workbench or table.

You can also use a jack to level your vehicle and remove the lug nuts.

Do I Have To Replace All 4 TPMS Sensors?

No. You do not have to replace all 4 TPMS sensors. If you learn how TPMS sensors work and know exactly what to look for, you can replace one sensor and ignore the other three.

Replacing one TPMS sensor will not cause any issues with the TPMS system, and you will still be able to receive alerts from your car’s dashboard.

The other three sensors occasionally give false readings, which you can avoid by replacing only one of them.

However, you should still replace all four if you are experiencing a history of intermittent light air pressure warnings or incorrect sensor readings since these could indicate an issue with the sensor hardware.

Thankfully, replacing one sensor is not that difficult.

Most dealerships will even provide you with a TPMS re-calibration tool that will help you do it for nothing (not all dealerships will do this–if this is the case, call and ask before buying).

Figure out which sensor is giving you false readings. If you plan to replace a single sensor, unplug the old sensor from the OBD2 connector and place it back in its bracket.

Next, you will need the TPMS repair tool provided by your dealership.

If you cannot contact your dealership or there is no TPMS re-calibration tool, you can purchase them from Amazon for less than $50.

Once you have the tool, you will need to identify which of the sensors is giving incorrect readings (if over one gives false readings, then replace them all).

Place the sensor into the sensor tool and turn it on. This should display a four-digit number. If it’s not the sensor you are replacing, leave it in and keep scanning.

Does It Hurt To Drive With The TPMS Light On?

Yes. Your airbags won’t deploy when they should. And that can be disastrous because the airbags have calibrations to have a certain period before deployment to protect you from a crash.

Driving with your light on risks accidents later down the line and endangering yourself and others around you.

When the TPMS light is on, your tire pressure monitor system has detected a problem with one of your tires.

If the light is still on, it may mean that the airbag in that tire likely won’t deploy when it should. Here, there’s a chance that a faulty airbag may injure you and others.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Driving with a TPMS light on in rare instances could lead to your vehicle losing speed control, traction control, and anti-lock brakes and causing intermittent wipers headlights, and brake lights.

You could experience handling problems or even a loss of steering as well. Please don’t risk it. If your light is still on, get the problem fixed right away.

Why Is TPMS Light On, But Tires Are Fine?

TPMS light on when tires are fine because the light is there for other reasons, not to tell you that the car’s tires are low on air.

Most cars and trucks have a TPMS sensor that will ping the car when the tires hit a sensor on the ground.

It usually lights up an indicator light in some form, either in your dash or instrument panel. If it’s just turning on once or twice at random, you probably have a flat tire.

If it’s coming on like crazy, you may have a bad sensor, or the tire pressure sensor is dirty.

The TPMS light usually comes on when you have a flat with the tire losing air pressure. It will show up in two different places depending on what type of car you’re driving.

It shows up on your dash next to the speedometer or in front of the speedometer. This will be as a warning light, either yellow or red.

The second place to find it is on your instrument panel on the car’s driver’s side. It will either be on your center dash or in front of your center dash.

The tire pressure warning light you see on the dash will look like a squiggle and will normally come on when a major puncture in the tire has caused it to lose pressure or even entirely come off the rim.

If you have a truck and drive over rugged terrain, your sensors may have picked up some dirt. The sensor is just located right next to your real tire pressure sensors.

They are usually near the valve stems and inside your wheel wells. The dirt will cause the sensors to malfunction and ping your car.

There is a forcing air push out of the air valve usually found on trucks, and it will push the dirt out of the sensors when this happens.

When this happens, you need to go over to your driver’s side tire and locate the sensor. Usually, it’s right by the valve stem; you will see a small circular object.

It will look like a large screw head, and it will secure to a sensor that is sticking out of the tire wall. If you twist it, you should be able to unscrew it.

Then, wipe off any dirt gathered on the sensor and in the threads. Then, put the sensor back in and twist it until it is tight again. That should do the trick, and the light should go off after that.

Why Did My Tire Light Come On After Getting New Tires?

Your tire light came on after getting new tires because they have a little sensor that tells you when there is an imbalance between the left and right tires.

This is to keep your car balanced and ensure it doesn’t flip over. If the tire light stays on, your car is not in balance and is tipping over to the left or right.

Without this tiny balancing sensor in your tires, your automobile could roll over and cause you serious injury.

The best way to get rid of the problem is to adjust the tires until they balance. You can do this at tire stores and by bicyclists who use air pumps to fill their tires with air.

You will probably have to add a little pressure because your tires have not yet balanced.

So, get yourself to a good bicycle shop and have them balance your tires. You can do this by putting two tires on your bicycle and balancing them.

The last step is to have the tires replaced with new ones.

Do TPMS Sensors Go To Sleep?

Yes. If the vehicle is not moving for a predetermined period, the TPMS sensor goes to sleep and waits for the signal to resume. The signal gets emitted in pulses every 180 minutes, which causes the sensor to wake up.

This allows it to determine if anything has changed while the vehicle was not moving and resumes reading tire pressure data.

If your tire pressures readings seem inaccurate on your dashboard, one of three things may have happened:

1) Your TPMS is malfunctioning and needs replacement.

2) You may have a defective TPMS sensor on one of your tires. Check each tire to see if the other sensors are working correctly. If they are, replace the defective one as soon as you can.

3) If you don’t drive very much or your tires do not lose air pressure frequently, the sensors may go to sleep and need to be reset.

To reset the sensor, you will need to drive your car for at least 20 minutes, extending the time of travel for TPMS sensors to about 90 minutes.

This will prevent them from going back to sleep. You can lower your tire pressures as needed and reset the TPMS sensor.

Do TPMS Sensors Need Activation?

Yes. Before starting your car, you must activate your transponder mini valves (TPMS) sensors.

Generally, you’ll find the TPMS sensor mounted near the valve in each tire, and pressure from inflating the tire activates the sensor.

A rubber cover over the tiny hole where you put air into your tire should prevent water from entering and activating this sensor prematurely.

If you suspect the sensor has activated, you can check to see if your car can still start. Try to start your car and see if it does.

If your car turns over and doesn’t start, or gives a “Service TPMS” or “Inflate Tires” message, then the TPMS sensors are active and need re-activation for tire pressure monitoring function correctly.

Verify that each tire has the correct pressure listed on the tire sidewall, and then proceed to the steps below to activate your TPMS sensors.

The time it takes to set each sensor depends on what pressure you are using to activate the sensor and the ambient temperature (the colder it is outside, the longer it will take).

Also, note that you will have to set them one at a time if you have other tires that need activation (like a spare tire).

Here are the steps:

1. Find the valves on each tire. Ensure no foreign objects are obstructing it.

2. Use a screwdriver or another tool to hold down the button located on the valve stem.

Use it as a valve stem protector button.

3a. Once you feel the valve push down, pull up on each valve with your fingers and put your thumbs into the valve stem opening and push them in so that you don’t damage them.

3b. Some of these valves may be difficult to hold down; try turning each tire upside down to help find it more easily. You may also want to put a towel on the ground to protect your fingers.

4. Once you have pressed each valve, check your tire pressure with a tire gauge and adjust the pressure.

You should set the tire pressure to the correct rim size, load, and inflation recommendation on the tire’s sidewall.

5. After you have adjusted your tire pressures, leave your car in place for at least 60 minutes for the TPMS sensors to activate correctly.

6. If you have other tires that need activation, repeat steps 1-4 for each tire.

7. Once you do this, the TPMS light should go off, and you shouldn’t get any more “Service TPMS” or “Inflate Tires” messages, and your car should be able to start normally.

Conclusion

You need to activate TPMS sensors for tire pressure monitoring to function correctly.

If you get a “Service TPMS” or “Inflate Tires” message, you may have set your sensors prematurely or too quickly if your car won’t start.

You can try to reset the sensors by letting them stay in place for 60 minutes, which should prevent them from going back to sleep.

If this doesn’t work, you will need to repeat the entire process of activation described above until it works.