TPMS legality in WA
 

So I'm in a Les Schwab getting tires put on some new wheels I bought. I had told them to mount the tires and then put the new wheels on the car and the stock wheels in the trunk. They wanted to charge me out the ass for new tpms sensors, saying they weren't legally allowed to install wheels without the sensors on a car that originally came with the sensors.

I was able to get around it by telling them to just put the new wheels in the trunk and I'd drive away on my stock wheels.

I'm wondering if anyone else has ran into anything like this. I've never heard of this law, and I'm not sure if it's just some sale tactic they use to charge $200 to install and relearn sensors.

I believe it's federally mandated that any car equipped with TPMS sensors from the manufacturer has to have them even with aftermarket wheels. They couldn't reuse the sensors from stock wheels?

I believe it's federally mandated that any car equipped with TPMS sensors from the manufacturer has to have them even with aftermarket wheels. They couldn't reuse the sensors from stock wheels?

Yeah, they can mount and balance and all that jazz, but cant put non-TMPS wheels on a car that is supposed to have TMPS.

Anyways, I used to just do what you did, and drive away on the stock wheels, and swap when I got home.

Yeah but then your light will come on without sensors. Just about any wheels should be able to accept tpms it's just the valve stem.

Why not just use the stock sensors?

TPMS legality in WA
 

They swapped my sensors for me at no charge

I'm keeping the stock wheels and the new wheels are only going to be on the car during the summer so I didn't see the point honestly.

Do as I have for many years due to this law. Change your tires out on your own. Just ignore the sensor light on the dash. On 2 of my other cars plus my frs I have not had sensors in my winter tires. If you park your car in the garage you can put you sensor wheels by them and trick the light off for 50 miles. I often will get a toyota to park close enough to me in my apartment to turn the light off.

^this

I haven't had them on wheels in 3 years. I don't even notice the light anymore. You can also do the "pipe bomb" (pressurized PVC pipe with all sensors mounted to that in trunk)

Ooo, that's a pretty clever hack. I like it.

Ahhhhh

Can you imagine having to explain that to law enforcement . Lol

How much are new (additional) sensors?
I plan on swapping wheels a lot as i will be drifting the car soon. Hard to plan what wheels will be on when and such when you just pile them in the car and hit the track. Too bad it doesnt use the honda system. No sensors at all it just calculates wheel rotation with the abs sensors.