Quote:
Originally Posted by Syldrin
I'd say what happened was your FRS was parked by another FRS and your ecu picked up the TPM from the other car. the TPM signal isn specific to each ECU it is just a brodcasted signal.
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It is my understanding that the TPMS senders in the summer wheels are not the same as the senders in the winter wheels … and REQUIRE REPROGRAMMING the ECU each time one swaps the wheels in the Twins. This suggests that there is NOT a universal signal sent from the senders, one being as effective as any other.
Note that not all cars are this "dumb." Our Mazda "learns" the new sensors in its winter wheels when I swap them in and out. Those sensor, while expensive, were not nearly so expensive as the latest ones from Tire Rack for the Twins.
I decided to forego the outrageously expensive TPMS senders when ordering my wheels+winter tires for the BRZ from the Tire Rack.
It took exactly 100 miles of driving before the TPMS warning light came on in the instrument cluster. It then remains steadily ON when driving. It is not as bright as the High Beam blue light, and it does not bother me at all.
Curiously, after leaving the BRZ in the driveway, not driven for many weeks, the TPMS warning light was OFF again. I wonder how long it will take to come back ON again?
In any case, it is of little concern to me. TPMS sensors did not exist until recently and fifty years of driving without them has not left me fearful.
I make a practice of checking my “gross” tire pressures every time I approach my car to drive it. It requires five seconds of my life as I detour slightly towards the passenger side as I approach the car and visually examine the “set” of the tires on that side, then proceed around to the driver’s side where I examine those tires. One can readily see a 10 psi reduction, and I can see a 5 psi loss simply by judging how “squat” the tires look. You can, too, with a bit of practice. Just do it every time you drive your car.
Those four, fist-sized patches of rubber are the only thing standing between me and St. Peter (the Pearly Gates?). I pay close attention to them.
In the spring and fall, during periods when the ambient temperatures may fluctuate widely, I may adjust my tire pressures every day or so. Tires will increase/decrease 1 psi for every 10 deg F change in temperature. On some days here in the Midwest, temps may vary 30-40 degrees in 24 hours.
It is not UNSAFE to drive without TPMS sensors. If they were FREE, sure I’d be glad to have the added assurance, but it’s unlikely they’d ever help me. They’re useless in a sudden deflation, and a slow deflation is readily discerned from behind the wheel by an experienced driver, and I regularly check the tires each time I enter my vehicle. So… lack of TPMS is NOT a problem. It’s the arrogant liberal Nanny State meddling in our lives again. For our own good, of course. Isn’t it always?