TPMS Sensors
 

Since all cars are now required to have tire pressure monitoring systems (right?), if you swap rims, what does the system do?

The sensors are in the rims, right?

If your new rims don't have the sensors, does your car think you have 4 flats?

If the new rims do have sensors, how do you sync them with your car?

If you rotate your tires, is the car smart enough to know which tire is where?

Man, things WERE easier before computers! :p

No idea how it's set-up in a brz. In my legacy particular corner doesn't matter, so rotation is not an issue. Swapping rims requires new sensors to be registered in TPMS brain. Delaer can do it, or you can buy a tool. If there are no sensors - a dash light comes on, some just apply electric tape over it.

I'm kinda hoping that my current tool would work....

:thumbup:

Some cars have a way to program the new sensors without the dealer. I have the ATEQ quickset tool which I've heard a lot of complaints about but I've never had any problems.

Plug it into your PC
Launch the program
Input your sensor IDs
Plug in to OBDII port
Press the button
Drive to trigger the sensors

Done.

The Quickset tool is also nice because it will hold two sets of sensor IDs. One button loads "Winter" wheels the other loads "Summer"

^You're missing a step.
Where you disable your internet to prevent the tool from upgrading away from the version that works ;)

I had to fiddle with it to get the software to work with windows 7 but I haven't had any troubles since.

Since I won't need to have a set of dedicated winter wheels, I'm just gonna swap the stock sensors over to my new wheels.

I will pretend that the light is not there.

Some newer cars it's not as simple as ignoring the light. My CR-Z won't let you disable traction control if there if the TPMS system is triggered. It's really annoying.

Really? Grrr...want 16" factory wheels!

I'm kinda annoyed with manufacturers that implement in-wheel TPMS but then don't actually display the pressures on the IP. They should've gone the cheap route and simply used a rotational-delta calculation off the ABS sensors and saved everyone some money and headaches.

Agreed! I hate that my car knows the tire pressure, and tempeature of each wheel, but doesn't see fit to share that info with me. I do have a TPMS tool that reads the sensor ID's, Temp, and pressure which is really nice.

I hate TPMS. I'll just use a piece of electrical tape to cover the light.

I think that tire shops, or any shop that replaces tires really, has to put TPMS sensors in whatever wheels they sell you for your car if it is equipped with TPMS. There may be places that will go around it if you're just buying a set a wheels... but I'm not sure.