What happens if you have no TPMS?

[SevanC]

At some point, I'm going to buy snow tires on their own wheels. If I don't put TPMS on the new wheels, what will happen? Am I going to be annoyed by a warning every time I turn the car on?

After 28 years of driving, I think I have learned to spot/feel a flat tire on my own. Of course there's also the secondary indicator of a catastrophic tire failure: the guard rail you hit.

[Sponsor]

[e350 coupe]

For the first 3-4 days nothing will happen and you will think life is good, and you might even wonder if these sensors even worked, then somewhere between 3-4 days,

Every time you start the car the center display will display a fault message with your TPMS sensors, followed by buzzing and pinging sounds.

There will be an additional flat tire indicator in the speedo gauge flashing on and off for a couple of minutes then it will turn solid.

And finally there will be an error message between the fuel gauge and temp. gauge.

This will go on and on every time you restart the car.

I lasted about 20 minutes in a line up and I then pulled over and reset my sensors.

[DougC]

TPMS…. yet another useless cradle to the grave protective regulation compliments of the nanny state.

[alex62390]

Can't it be disabled by the dealership? I work on SAAB's, when i install a snow tire package without sensors I can use the scan tool to deprogram the computer module from the car's network. Even though TPMS is required on all US cars, its not required in all countries and there might be a way to disable the system.

[FlankerDFR]

So it's not just me. My last ride drove me nuts over 22 months; with false warnings of impending tire pressure doom. Out of that entire period; I got one for real low pressure alert! For someone who looks at their tires daily, and gauge checks them every 3 days or so, and/or every time the temperature changes 10 F............TPMS is !

Update: Thanks for the disable tip Alex! Certainly worth checking into as I've got my eye on a nice set of Sport Edition rims at the Tire Rack for some hi po all seasons next year, and would like to dodge the nearly $200. bullet for TPMSs & a reset tool. You da man!

[LVSBB6]

Can the car be programmed with two sets of TPMS? one for summer and one for winter wheels?

[SevanC]

Originally Posted by LVSBB6

Can the car be programmed with two sets of TPMS? one for summer and one for winter wheels?

My last car, a G8, allowed you to program them yourself. This was nice given the fact that people rotate tires. If we have to have this, it would be nice if we could at least do the programing. I think this is what we get when attorneys work in a R&D department.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by e350 coupe

Every time you start the car the center display will display a fault message with your TPMS sensors, followed by buzzing and pinging sounds....There will be an additional flat tire indicator in the speedo gauge flashing on and off for a couple of minutes then it will turn solid... And finally there will be an error message between the fuel gauge and temp. gauge.

This will go on and on every time you restart the car.

Would you consider this unbearable? I'm debating whether or not I can justify spending the extra $200 on the sensors. It might be worth it and it saves me from having to get them mounted later.

Your thoughts?

[e350 coupe]

I lasted about 25 minutes in the Costco gas line up, afterwards in the pouring rain I pulled over and reset all the sensors. Yes I would consider this unbearable.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by e350 coupe

I lasted about 25 minutes in the Costco gas line up, afterwards in the pouring rain I pulled over and reset all the sensors. Yes I would consider this unbearable.

It buzzed and pinged for 25 minutes!?

EDIT: OR was that just because you continued to start/stop your car when creeping in line?

EDIT^2: I've decided I'm going to save myself $245 and deal with it. (Assuming tire rack $42/sensor plus the $45 reset tool and for some reason extra shipping)