Walmart did mine for $30 per tire when I bought tires. They lasted 10 years. I had one that was in pieces inside the tire.
Proactive replacement of TPMS sensors?
- Thread starter Dave P.
- Start date
At most the sensors have a 10 year battery life. Last time I checked, Discount Tire charged $60 to install and program a new sensor. Its Dill brand sensor worked fine in my Honda and Infiniti. Some brands may claim self-programming. Others not so.
Here are some thoughts as I went through this almost a year ago with my 2015 Sienna. When you get TPMS sensors from any retailer and it says preprogrammed, I believe it means the unique ID code is already flashed in its chip. That doesn’t always mean plug and play. Not many vehicles are self learning and you do some drive cycles and after so much time, it detects the replacement sensor and the dash tire light goes off. There still is programming with this type of sensor where the shop has to program and “tell” the TPMs module in your car to look for the new ID and erase the previous ones stored. To do that, they read all the wheels in relation to the detection sequence and now they have to figure out and match the ones that you want to replace. Now the other aftermarket style are blanks and the person needs to flash a new unique ID or copy the same ID within the TPMs module and flash into new sensors and install accordingly. My money is your 2018 RAV4 is likely the same as my 2015 Sienna and no added benefit to “pre-programmed” aftermarket TPMS. I would get a blank. The reason why for me is that I chose to reuse the same ID in my Sienna to flash to my new TPMS so essentially I cloned new sensors to the ones I tossed.
The name brand I used was Autel. I purchased 8 metal stem blank sensors with the TS508wifi programmer tool from an authorized Autel merchant on eBay for $300 delivered. The biggest issue is because I have my own changing/balancing equipment, I can do this option which may not be suitable for most others. The other issue that I learned is don’t buy any TPMS sensors by yourself and assume the shop has the programming tool to program them. For example, my Autel tool only work with Autel sensors. It can read oem sensors plus Autel but cannot flash any other brand sensor. So if you decide to buy yourself, check the shop to make sure they can do it because I’m sure the shop wants to use their own choice.
Other choice why considering OEM vs aftermarket is how long do you think you’re going to own your vehicle? I got 9 years with OE and if I spent premium replacing with OE, do I really want/see myself going 9 years in same vehicle? Looking at OE vs Autel, the Autel was about 1/3 lighter and no way will last as long even stated as typical 5 years but more than half the cost. If it was me, I would replace TPMS with aftermarket as you replace tires moving forward.
The name brand I used was Autel. I purchased 8 metal stem blank sensors with the TS508wifi programmer tool from an authorized Autel merchant on eBay for $300 delivered. The biggest issue is because I have my own changing/balancing equipment, I can do this option which may not be suitable for most others. The other issue that I learned is don’t buy any TPMS sensors by yourself and assume the shop has the programming tool to program them. For example, my Autel tool only work with Autel sensors. It can read oem sensors plus Autel but cannot flash any other brand sensor. So if you decide to buy yourself, check the shop to make sure they can do it because I’m sure the shop wants to use their own choice.
Other choice why considering OEM vs aftermarket is how long do you think you’re going to own your vehicle? I got 9 years with OE and if I spent premium replacing with OE, do I really want/see myself going 9 years in same vehicle? Looking at OE vs Autel, the Autel was about 1/3 lighter and no way will last as long even stated as typical 5 years but more than half the cost. If it was me, I would replace TPMS with aftermarket as you replace tires moving forward.
For toyota, pretty low. Pacific makes the sensors for Denso who supplies them to Toyota. Pacific makes them so cheap you can get four for $20-25. You'll see pictures of what you're getting in the listings.
They'll need programming, which you can do yourself with Techstream or Carista before they're even installed. Honestly if you're clever enough to break the beads you can do that and change the sensors with your old tires still on the rims, it won't screw up the balance as the tire will still be stuck to the rim's backside.
Ten years is a conservative life, you can probably make 12-15 but then you'd be changing one at a time, which gets annoying.
What tire shops charge, though, is highway robbery. Sensor prices have dropped like a rock over the past seven-ish years.
If I were in your shoes though I'd just say no, no, no to the tire shop changing the sensors-- you'll get more time from them, probably however long the new tires will last. And if they break them while changing the tires, you've won the free replacement lottery, LOL.
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$100 for each, correct? That's not worth it, just keep driving. $100 for all 4, I wouldn't think so as even a mount/balance is $30 alone. This is unnecessary they've never worked on my Lexus and I've had it 8.5 years (not sensors I mean the entire system doesn't work, it uses the ABS sensors and rotation). What's the worst thing that could happen when the TPMS no longer work, it turns on a light, right? Or a person gets a flat and has to realize it. That happened to me, went to the car and had a flat. The sensors would have told me the same as what I saw.
My suggestion is buy the AliExpress item and wait till the Toyota TPMS fail.
I just found this on AliExpress: $33.01 | Intelligent TPMS Solar Tyre Pressure Monitoring System Parking Sensors For Cars Temperature Tire Air Pressure Gauge
https://a.aliexpress.com/_ms6m0i1
They work great on my 14 Venza which does not come equipped with individual pressure readings.
I just found this on AliExpress: $33.01 | Intelligent TPMS Solar Tyre Pressure Monitoring System Parking Sensors For Cars Temperature Tire Air Pressure Gauge
https://a.aliexpress.com/_ms6m0i1
They work great on my 14 Venza which does not come equipped with individual pressure readings.
Discount tire cut me a "deal", i.e. played with the numbers so getting the TMPS replaced on my 2006 Acura TL was basically the same price with the tire certificates thrown in for free. I had initially rejected the certificates and then asked about TMPS. When I was thinking about it, he offered the certificates as part of the deal.
I was annoyed with the TMPS being busted with 1 or 2 tired working occasionally since I bought this car from a friend had I was/am happy to have them working.
I broke even with getting the certificates bc I hit a huge pothole in the spring that destroyed one of tires. I got it replaced for "free" (really was about $26 or whatever the price of a new certificate was.)
I was annoyed with the TMPS being busted with 1 or 2 tired working occasionally since I bought this car from a friend had I was/am happy to have them working.
I broke even with getting the certificates bc I hit a huge pothole in the spring that destroyed one of tires. I got it replaced for "free" (really was about $26 or whatever the price of a new certificate was.)
Actually, many/most of the "cheap" Pacific Industrial sensors sold on eBay are counterfeit. So much that Pacific Industrial has issued an online guide to identify the fake sensors.
How to Identify Fake Pacific TPMS Sensors
Dave P
I would wait until 1 sensor fails, then replace all of them.
In August of 2023 1 of the TPMS sensors failed on my 2011 Ford Expedition with 362,375 miles.
I took my Expedition to Discount Tire
TPMS replacement (Schrader 33560)
$50/per tire sensor=$215 total
Also in August of 2023, I replaced all 5 TPMS sensors on my 2012 Jeep Wrangler with 64,780 miles. (2) Sensors were Dead
I took my Jeep to Discount Tire
(5) 315 REDI Clip In TPMS Sensors Replaced
$322.35
Good Luck!
I like the indirect type on my Honda....It has a plain old rubber valve stem....
Replaced the 12 year old TPM’s in my Ram 2500 after two were failing. I bought the Schrader brand from Rockauto, Belletire installed them for free when I had my tires replaced last fall.
I also use the Autel system and sensors. Has worked really well for me across 5-6 vehicles now, dating back to 2015.
Keeping the correct air pressure in your tires, to me - seems to make the sensor batteries last the longest.
Keeping the correct air pressure in your tires, to me - seems to make the sensor batteries last the longest.
I would change sensors if they are over 7 years old and its new tire time and the the new tires will last you a couple of years. Use OEM, they last the longest. I've tried saving a few rubles with aftermarket sensors and they don't last as long as OEM if your vehicle is a keeper. My vehicles see 100f + temperature swings BTW so getting over 7 years is a bonus IMO. Last tire change I had them in hand when I went in for tires.
One issue mentioned previously in this thread is this; if you purchase OEM sensors and go to Mavis or Discount Tire or some independent shop, will they be able to program those sensors?
If you use OEM sensors, you're not programming sensors, you're telling the car the new Sensor IDs.
You program aftermarket sensors when you want to clone an existing sensor, so you don't have to touch the computer.
