Has anyone had to replace a dead stock Tire pressure sensor yet?
04-10-2015, 02:11 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 56
Has anyone had to replace a dead stock Tire pressure sensor yet?
I have an 09 GT and I am putting on some new tires. I still have the stock tpms sensors on the rims, which are about 6 years old now. I don't want to have to take the tires off again in the next couple years if one of the sensors dies. Has anyone had to replace a dead tpms sensor yet? Maybe someone with an 07 model?
If I can get another 3 or 4 years out of the sensors I'll leave them but if I've exceeded the estimated life of the sensors I'll probably replace them.
I've heard the batteries are good for 10 years but haven't been able to verify that.
If I can get another 3 or 4 years out of the sensors I'll leave them but if I've exceeded the estimated life of the sensors I'll probably replace them.
I've heard the batteries are good for 10 years but haven't been able to verify that.
04-11-2015, 06:16 PM
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Austin, Texas
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Of course someone out there has had to replace a tpms sensor. If not a single one in the whole wide world has ever failed after all these years then I will saw my arm off with a dull chain saw.
I'm not aware of a way to see into the future and say for certain if something will stop working years down the road. If it's that much of a concern to you then replace them - they are not very expensive.
I'm not aware of a way to see into the future and say for certain if something will stop working years down the road. If it's that much of a concern to you then replace them - they are not very expensive.
04-14-2015, 10:28 AM
#3
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What's the worst case if a wheel sensor battery dies? You'll get a warning light and be forced to periodically check them manually with a gauge, like you should be doing anyway (and like everybody always used to have to).
Norm
Norm
04-14-2015, 02:30 PM
#4
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Long story short, I do like having the sensors and want to save a few bucks.
As for the long story...
I would just leave them if I was only doing City driving but I do like having the sensors because I'm on the highway quite a bit and usually going 80-90mph. I've had one of the sensors go off and when I pulled over all the tires looked fine (mind you it was night time on the side of the highway). While getting my tire pressure gauge out of the trunk to double check the tires I heard a hissing noise coming from one of the front tires; within a minute of my initial visual check it was completely flat. The sensor probably saved the rim at the very least because I had no idea there was anything wrong while driving. I had a friend who was in bad roll over as a result of a front tire blowout.
I definitely check them manually and wouldn't recommend that anyone wait for sensor to go off before checking their tire pressure.
I just wanted to get a sense of how long these things TYPICALLY last. If the majority stock sensors in the 07 GT's are still working fine than I can assume mine would likely last just as long.
The sensor kits are around $200, plus installation; unless I get a shop to take off my old tires and mount the sensors myself, then bring back the rims to get new tires mounted. I'm willing to shell out for the new sensors and install but I am also trying to save a few dollars.
As for the long story...
I would just leave them if I was only doing City driving but I do like having the sensors because I'm on the highway quite a bit and usually going 80-90mph. I've had one of the sensors go off and when I pulled over all the tires looked fine (mind you it was night time on the side of the highway). While getting my tire pressure gauge out of the trunk to double check the tires I heard a hissing noise coming from one of the front tires; within a minute of my initial visual check it was completely flat. The sensor probably saved the rim at the very least because I had no idea there was anything wrong while driving. I had a friend who was in bad roll over as a result of a front tire blowout.
I definitely check them manually and wouldn't recommend that anyone wait for sensor to go off before checking their tire pressure.
I just wanted to get a sense of how long these things TYPICALLY last. If the majority stock sensors in the 07 GT's are still working fine than I can assume mine would likely last just as long.
The sensor kits are around $200, plus installation; unless I get a shop to take off my old tires and mount the sensors myself, then bring back the rims to get new tires mounted. I'm willing to shell out for the new sensors and install but I am also trying to save a few dollars.
04-15-2015, 07:02 AM
#6
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Here's a couple of links for you. If you dig around on the brakeandfrontend site you may find more (Brake & Front End is a repair industry magazine in online and print form that most people have probably never heard of).
http://www.tirereview.com/changing-t...sor-batteries/
http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/cate...-tire/page/12/
As to tire failures and highway speeds, there are steps you can take in setting your car up that tend to mitigate the consequences of rapid tire deflation. One of them being "fit tires to wheels out around maximum-recommended width". NOT "let's cram as wide a tire onto my wheels as possible".
You probably wouldn't believe what the driving during last mile or so in this tire's life included, after it was cut down by road debris. A slightly "stretched" fitment was without doubt a major factor, by the greater than normal amounts of lateral stiffness and stability being provided by the remaining good tire on that axle. Only a few cords were holding it together with the rest of the tire. I put the spare on and continued on my way to that day's autocross . . .
Had that tire and its opposite side "twin" been mounted on a min-width wheel, there would have been considerably more drama (I've been there, too, with a different car on its new OE wheels and tires at slower speeds, so I'm not just guessing here).
Norm
http://www.tirereview.com/changing-t...sor-batteries/
http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/cate...-tire/page/12/
As to tire failures and highway speeds, there are steps you can take in setting your car up that tend to mitigate the consequences of rapid tire deflation. One of them being "fit tires to wheels out around maximum-recommended width". NOT "let's cram as wide a tire onto my wheels as possible".
You probably wouldn't believe what the driving during last mile or so in this tire's life included, after it was cut down by road debris. A slightly "stretched" fitment was without doubt a major factor, by the greater than normal amounts of lateral stiffness and stability being provided by the remaining good tire on that axle. Only a few cords were holding it together with the rest of the tire. I put the spare on and continued on my way to that day's autocross . . .
Had that tire and its opposite side "twin" been mounted on a min-width wheel, there would have been considerably more drama (I've been there, too, with a different car on its new OE wheels and tires at slower speeds, so I'm not just guessing here).
Norm
Last edited by Norm Peterson; 04-15-2015 at 07:20 AM.
04-16-2015, 09:39 AM
#7
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 56
I spent a couple hours reading through all sorts of those articles yesterday, there's a lot of interesting info on that site.
Thanks for the links.
Based on the specific articles you posted, highway driving and colder climates tend to extend the life of the sensor batteries. Both conditions apply to my vehicle, so I'll take my chances and keep using the original sensors.
And I'am definitely sticking with the recommended tire size to mitigate the chances of a blow out.
Thanks for the links.
Based on the specific articles you posted, highway driving and colder climates tend to extend the life of the sensor batteries. Both conditions apply to my vehicle, so I'll take my chances and keep using the original sensors.
And I'am definitely sticking with the recommended tire size to mitigate the chances of a blow out.
04-16-2015, 07:08 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 406
My 2007 FX4 still has oem TPMSs (also still has oem Pirelli Scorpion ATR 275/55-20 tires) and no failures at 51,xxx miles and our '08 GT with maybe 28,xxx miles still has it's oem TPMSs in the tires (tires which I did replace in 2014).
No ( ! ) lights yet.
No ( ! ) lights yet.
Last edited by tbear853; 04-16-2015 at 07:11 PM.
04-19-2015, 09:58 AM
#10
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Heh . . . that works if you drive year round on the same tires.
FWIW I'd really hate to have a banded sensor come adrift inside a tire at 120 mph on a road course and have it end my track day for reasons involving wheel balance. Trust me, you wouldn't want to hold your hand on any of my car's wheels right after a 20 minute or longer hot-lapping session, so I don't trust any cradle adhesive strip.
Norm
FWIW I'd really hate to have a banded sensor come adrift inside a tire at 120 mph on a road course and have it end my track day for reasons involving wheel balance. Trust me, you wouldn't want to hold your hand on any of my car's wheels right after a 20 minute or longer hot-lapping session, so I don't trust any cradle adhesive strip.
Norm