Tire pressure monitors = crap
09-14-2010, 06:14 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Tire pressure monitors = crap
So about a week ago I woke up and left for work, and I get the "LOW TIRE PRESSURE" (or whatever) warning, saying my Left Rear tire is at like 16 psi. I usually have them all at 35 psi, so I thought it was weird.
I went to a local Firestone dealer by my house, and the guy checked all 4 tires... they were all at 35 psi... and when I screwed the cap back on the Left Rear (the supposed "low" tire) the warning went away and it showed back at 35 psi on my DIC.
It's been fine since then, until this morning when I leave. Again, I get the warning... but this time it's "FLAT TIRE"!! And the monitor says the Left Rear tire (same one as before) is at 5 psi. I get out and check again, and it's fine. I even unscrew the cap and put it back again... doesn't remove the warning. So I just figure I'll take it to the dealer on Friday to get the sensor checked out. I drive my normal route to work, ignoring the "55 MPH" warnings and I go about 75-80 on the way to work.
On my lunch break I'm walking out to my car, and I see that the RIGHT REAR TIRE is flat!! I friggin drove to work at 80 MPH on a flat tire because of this piece of sh*t!! I drove to my local gas station and filled it up to around 30 psi to check the sensor on the DIC... and it's obvious now that the sensors are SWITCHED on my back wheels. How the hell would this happen? I could have had a serious accident because of these goddamn things...
I went to a local Firestone dealer by my house, and the guy checked all 4 tires... they were all at 35 psi... and when I screwed the cap back on the Left Rear (the supposed "low" tire) the warning went away and it showed back at 35 psi on my DIC.
It's been fine since then, until this morning when I leave. Again, I get the warning... but this time it's "FLAT TIRE"!! And the monitor says the Left Rear tire (same one as before) is at 5 psi. I get out and check again, and it's fine. I even unscrew the cap and put it back again... doesn't remove the warning. So I just figure I'll take it to the dealer on Friday to get the sensor checked out. I drive my normal route to work, ignoring the "55 MPH" warnings and I go about 75-80 on the way to work.
On my lunch break I'm walking out to my car, and I see that the RIGHT REAR TIRE is flat!! I friggin drove to work at 80 MPH on a flat tire because of this piece of sh*t!! I drove to my local gas station and filled it up to around 30 psi to check the sensor on the DIC... and it's obvious now that the sensors are SWITCHED on my back wheels. How the hell would this happen? I could have had a serious accident because of these goddamn things...
09-14-2010, 06:20 PM
#4
Team Owner
No explanation about how the sensors got reversed? At least you did get an accurate warning saying you had a flat tire.
I'd be sure to find out why the sensors were reversed and try to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I'd be sure to find out why the sensors were reversed and try to make sure it doesn't happen again.
09-14-2010, 06:22 PM
#5
Melting Slicks
Somewhere along the way either the sensors were taught in the wrong order OR they were transferred to another set of wheels but put in the wrong location.
09-14-2010, 06:24 PM
#6
Racer
Thread Starter
It's ridiculous that the sensor got a false reading last week when all the tires were physically inspected and were fine... so of course when it happened this week I didn't trust it.
I'm glad I noticed that or I would have been driving around at full speeds on a flat tire until Friday when I can take the car in...
09-14-2010, 06:28 PM
#8
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09-14-2010, 06:34 PM
#9
2nd Gear
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just bought a Z06 and found the left front tire was going low. After putting a little soap and water on the valve it had a very slow leak. I replaced inner valve and still a small leak.Tire shop tell me i have a cracked sensor and it would have to be replaced. any thoughts?
09-14-2010, 06:38 PM
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
Now to figure out if the tire is fine... I guess I'll see when I leave work if it's lost any air since lunchtime...
09-14-2010, 07:12 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
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I haven't even had a problem with them and I think they're crap too. We don't need that kind of system on our cars. All we need is the type that works off of the ABS system and tells you that there is a problem with 'one of the tires'. This kind of crap is going to be a lot of trouble the older these cars get.
09-14-2010, 07:23 PM
#12
Burning Brakes
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Take it to the dealer and have them rematch them to the car. Takes all of 30 seconds to do it.
Procedure:
1. Put the car the accessory mode by pressing the bottom of the ignition switch
2. Hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the fob until the horn chirps.
3. Hold the tool against the LF tire tire above the valve stem. Press the putton, and wait for horn chirp.
4. Repeat #3 with the remaining 3 tires, in this order: RF, RR, LR.
Done!
Had the dealer do mine for no charge yesterday since apparently not all TPS tools are made equal........
Procedure:
1. Put the car the accessory mode by pressing the bottom of the ignition switch
2. Hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the fob until the horn chirps.
3. Hold the tool against the LF tire tire above the valve stem. Press the putton, and wait for horn chirp.
4. Repeat #3 with the remaining 3 tires, in this order: RF, RR, LR.
Done!
Had the dealer do mine for no charge yesterday since apparently not all TPS tools are made equal........
09-14-2010, 07:31 PM
#13
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I haven't even had a problem with them and I think they're crap too. We don't need that kind of system on our cars. All we need is the type that works off of the ABS system and tells you that there is a problem with 'one of the tires'. This kind of crap is going to be a lot of trouble the older these cars get.
09-14-2010, 07:40 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
I haven't even had a problem with them and I think they're crap too. We don't need that kind of system on our cars. All we need is the type that works off of the ABS system and tells you that there is a problem with 'one of the tires'. This kind of crap is going to be a lot of trouble the older these cars get.
09-14-2010, 08:17 PM
#15
Race Director
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So your tire installer screwed up and put the wheels in a different position than they were when you bought it in. Don't blame the sensors. They are one of the most important safety devices after seat belts and air bags on new cars and thank the gov't for forcing the industry to adopt them. Knowing that the rear tires had just been replaced you should have checked the pressure in both. Shame on you.
09-14-2010, 08:30 PM
#16
Race Director
So your tire installer screwed up and put the wheels in a different position than they were when you bought it in. Don't blame the sensors. They are one of the most important safety devices after seat belts and air bags on new cars and thank the gov't for forcing the industry to adopt them. Knowing that the rear tires had just been replaced you should have checked the pressure in both. Shame on you.
hmmcoughbullsht...
09-14-2010, 08:31 PM
#17
Safety Car
I haven't even had a problem with them and I think they're crap too. We don't need that kind of system on our cars. All we need is the type that works off of the ABS system and tells you that there is a problem with 'one of the tires'. This kind of crap is going to be a lot of trouble the older these cars get.
09-14-2010, 08:49 PM
#19
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
this really is kinda interesting, and I see where the OP has kinda "toned it down" on the anger side. 
that's good.
lotta things to learn from this one: tires obviously switched out and wheels or sensors traded from one side to another (guessing); sensor reading said something was wrong, but wrong side of car and no one noticed it; finally, if it's still on runflats---at 80 mph and a "flat tire" OP survived.
of all these "mistakes", my take on it is the best news is the OP is around to tell us the story. and to go get some fixin' and maybe a little "mouth action" to the person who switched out the sensors/wheels.
that's good.lotta things to learn from this one: tires obviously switched out and wheels or sensors traded from one side to another (guessing); sensor reading said something was wrong, but wrong side of car and no one noticed it; finally, if it's still on runflats---at 80 mph and a "flat tire" OP survived.
of all these "mistakes", my take on it is the best news is the OP is around to tell us the story. and to go get some fixin' and maybe a little "mouth action" to the person who switched out the sensors/wheels.
09-14-2010, 09:05 PM
#20
Burning Brakes
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Are sure some of your "friends" aren't toying with you? Did you complain to you rcoworkers about the false readings? Did they let the air out of one of your tires as a prank?
Ages ago when I was a youngster, i worked with a guy who started bragging about his gas mileage. Some of us started adding a little gas to his car while at work and of course his bragging got worse. Eventually he was telling everyone about his 45 mpg car. Well, we started siphoning out gas and he couldn't bellieve that his mpg was going to hell. He went to the dealer and complained about his lousy mileage! Even when we fessed up, he refused to believe us. Creul jokes that we played on others in our youth!! This wasn't an original idea. My father had told me about his friends doing the same thing in the '50's.
Ages ago when I was a youngster, i worked with a guy who started bragging about his gas mileage. Some of us started adding a little gas to his car while at work and of course his bragging got worse. Eventually he was telling everyone about his 45 mpg car. Well, we started siphoning out gas and he couldn't bellieve that his mpg was going to hell. He went to the dealer and complained about his lousy mileage! Even when we fessed up, he refused to believe us. Creul jokes that we played on others in our youth!! This wasn't an original idea. My father had told me about his friends doing the same thing in the '50's.