Do people even pay attention to the tpms warning?

[DGXR]

Or, they may not replace sensors as the batteries die.

I am sure this is a big part of the issue when people ignore the light -- they know one or more of the sensors is dead and it is possible one of the remaining good sensors is warning of a real situation but they'd never know it because the light is always on. I was a bit surprised to learn that many people put a small piece of electrical tape over the dash light 100% ignoring the warning, whether it's a real situation or not. Personally, I like everything to work and it's worth $200 every 12 years to replace the sensors. Most people don't keep their cars this long.

 

[Silver]

I've got two vehicles with malfunctioning tpms sensors and the light stays on all the time. I hate them. Just another sensor to fail.

 

[pezzy84]

Once that light clicks on I am checking those tires - have been notified of 3 flat tires by the light before I could feel the flat - (2 pothole hits and 1 nail). More often than not it comes on because of winter pressure changes but it's a good opportunity to reset the pressures.

Fortunately no sensors here - VW (at least on our cars) uses just rotational speed via ABS sensors to monitor the tires. Not as precise or as fast acting as the direct wheel sensors but they do work. Things like huge cuts or pothole hits the tire is most likely destroyed anyways so an extra ¼ mile before it warns you is probably not a big deal. Side benefit is no light if you have to swap winter/summer tires or having to resync sensors.

 

[Snagglefoot]

This is the old “Bittoggers vs everyday people” argument. Everyday people don’t even own a pressure gage. That’s why manufacturers put the pressure monitors systems in cars. Having said that, I have sensors on both my summer and winter tires and it will light up on the dash there is a problem.

 

[Snagglefoot]

It’s doubtful most original car owners will have to replace more than one set of sensors unless they plan on keeping the car for more than 150,000 miles. 2nd owners should anticipate replacing all four when the first sensor fails. Hopefully that happens close to when you have to replace tires. Otherwise you can always put the piece of electrical tape on the dash or just ignore it.

 

[4WD]

It’s doubtful most oroginal car owners will have to replace more than one set of sensors unless they plan on keeping the car for more than 150,000 miles. 2nd owners should anticipate replacing all four when the first sensor fails. Hopefully that happens close to when you have to replace tires. Otherwise you can always put the piece of electrical tape on the dash or just ignore it.

I normally leave them stock when the factory tires come off … and have them reconditioned when the store bought set gets replaced … So far I have had one actually fail (out of town) … but the small town tire store had a kit, all good.

 

[Rmay635703]

I can feel when a tire is low normally.
So never pay to replace tpms, I had one set go out at 80,009 miles

It did help once when I had a very fast leak from a puncture and I managed to patch it but otherwise I just manually check pressures

For normal humans running under inflated tires is common and the main cause of blowouts. A lot of people don’t care until the car can’t move

 

[MCompact]

It’s doubtful most original car owners will have to replace more than one set of sensors unless they plan on keeping the car for more than 150,000 miles. 2nd owners should anticipate replacing all four when the first sensor fails. Hopefully that happens close to when you have to replace tires. Otherwise you can always put the piece of electrical tape on the dash or just ignore it.

When I sold my MS3 at 9 years and 158K miles the original TPMS were still working fine.