Question for tire techs

Joined
Nov 8, 2017
Messages
776
Location
California
Long story with questions at the end.

So yesterday I got some new wheels and tires for my 2014 Cruze CDI. 4 American racing 18" wheels and some Michelin pilot sport s3+ tires in 225/50R18.

I had them install new AcDelco TPMS sensors which I purchased off Rockauto.com. These https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-TPMS175K-Professional-Pressure-Monitoring/dp/B07CTNKR88

Drove about ten miles on the way home and felt a vibration while on the freeway. Could not pull over right away because it was on an off ramp which didn't have a shoulder for about 500 yds.

Tire was intact but clearly damaged from driving on it while flat. Rim looked OK. The valve stem was gone!

I called America's Tire co who did the work and the manager picked up. It was actually after closing but he answered so I told him what happened. He brought a jack and tools and came out to give me some personal roadside assistance.

He also took the tire because he wanted to find out what happened and inspect the wheel for damage. He said this morning that the rubber Valve stem was brittle and was cracked like an egg. he said they were likely very old stock which caused it to explode under pressure.

Has anybody ever had a problem with the valve stems on AcDelco TPMS sensors? These came in sealed blue labeled packs and looked like fresh stock. The did not look old or counterfeit.

The manager said he's going to replace all the valve stems on my new sensors and pay for a new sensor and tire. But is what he's telling me any of you've guys seen before or do AcDelco TPMS sensors fail catastrophically?
 
Sorry, I don't have the answer but that's what I call service! This one's going to cost your service provider! It is because of circumstances like these, that I do not allow anyone to supply their own parts, just too many headaches.

Come to think of it, I had a co-worker have a problem similar to what you experienced with a 2009 Dodge Caravan, where the rubber valve stem would fail suddenly causing it to go flat but it was usually while parked so no damage was done to the wheel or tire. This actually happened to him twice!
 
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Walmart uses the Universal Schrader TPMS. Which I believe the ACDelco is just reboxed, they look exactly the same just with ACDelco stampings.

I've had zero problems with them. They are usually better than the metal ones. The metal ones crack after about 10 years when trying to put air in them.

To me it sounds like the tire tech didn't pull the sensor all the way through. On some rims they will feel like they set, but looking at them they didn't come all the way through the rim.
 
TPMS has only existed for 13 years, so IDK how they could be old and rotten! I like the "didn't pull all the way through" theory. And besides, the batteries should go first.
 
Originally Posted by CleverUserName
He said this morning that the rubber Valve stem was brittle and was cracked like an egg. he said they were likely very old stock which caused it to explode under pressure.


If old stock packaged in a box, sitting in some warehouse somewhere gets dangerously brittle, what about the ones already installed on your car, baking in the sun, freezing in the cold, and heat cycled daily since 2014? Wouldn't those be equally brittle. probably even more so?

He's covering his behind, blaming the part you supplied.
 
Originally Posted by Kira
Good sources for TPMS replacements are...what?


The ones America's Tire sells! Lol.

I've been doing business with this store for almost 10 years. I don't have any complaints against ATC as they've always given me a great deal and great service. I wish they did alignments as well so I wouldn't need to go somewhere else for that service.

I wish the manager would have been more forthcoming with the actual cause of failure, but I understand people make mistakes and sh!t happens. They put the new tire on today and it's good so far.

Thanks for all the comments.
 
Good service by the manager but I smell a rat. Valve stems sit outside in the hot sun and rain on a tire for a service life of 10+ years. how can they rot sitting in a box in a warehouse? hmm....
 
I’d like to believe the manager and certainly nod my head with his extra service, but I’ll take the conspiracy theory side here - perhaps he didn’t want to be liable for the mistake of an employee who he knew was having trouble? Ive wrestled with rubber valve stems and have never found one to be brittle or otherwise willing to give up. Either way, he made it right for you, and took care of every aspect of care.
 
Originally Posted by Kira
Good sources for TPMS replacements are...what?


The ones America's Tire sells! Lol.

I've been doing business with this store for almost 10 years. I don't have any complaints against ATC as they've always given me a great deal and great service. I wish they did alignments as well so I wouldn't need to go somewhere else for that service.

I wish the manager would have been more forthcoming with the actual cause of failure, but I understand people make mistakes and sh!t happens. They put the new tire on today and it's good so far.

Thanks for all the comments.
I had the same experience with a tire purchased at America’s Tire. It wasn’t a TPMS stem. Tech had put one directional tire on backwards so my family member took the car back to have them reverse it. Then on a trip 50 miles away the tire went flat suddenly and the valve stem was lost.
 
Long story with questions at the end.

So yesterday I got some new wheels and tires for my 2014 Cruze CDI. 4 American racing 18" wheels and some Michelin pilot sport s3+ tires in 225/50R18.

I had them install new AcDelco TPMS sensors which I purchased off Rockauto.com. These https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-TPMS175K-Professional-Pressure-Monitoring/dp/B07CTNKR88

Drove about ten miles on the way home and felt a vibration while on the freeway. Could not pull over right away because it was on an off ramp which didn't have a shoulder for about 500 yds.

Tire was intact but clearly damaged from driving on it while flat. Rim looked OK. The valve stem was gone!

I called America's Tire co who did the work and the manager picked up. It was actually after closing but he answered so I told him what happened. He brought a jack and tools and came out to give me some personal roadside assistance.

He also took the tire because he wanted to find out what happened and inspect the wheel for damage. He said this morning that the rubber Valve stem was brittle and was cracked like an egg. he said they were likely very old stock which caused it to explode under pressure.

Has anybody ever had a problem with the valve stems on AcDelco TPMS sensors? These came in sealed blue labeled packs and looked like fresh stock. The did not look old or counterfeit.

The manager said he's going to replace all the valve stems on my new sensors and pay for a new sensor and tire. But is what he's telling me any of you've guys seen before or do AcDelco TPMS sensors fail catastrophically?

much higher probability the tech didn't pull the valve stem completely through and it fell inside the wheel. stem and sensor got mangled from running over it. Manager knows this but is trying to protect his shops reputation...
 
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