Globeman

The original Goodyear Run Flats on my ’06 base still had 5/32” of tread left on them but I couldn’t take the road noise any longer. Besides, one of the TPM sensors was starting to throw false alerts. The car is 7 years old (14k miles) so it’s probably best to replace all four.

After comparing all the options, I decided on Bridgestone Pole Position S04 non-run flats. I checked with a few local tire outlets and none could get both the front and back tires. One counter guy insisted that there was no reason to replace TPMS sensors since they don’t have a battery and never wear out. I had to cross that place off the list.

Costco had the tires for on-line ordering – ship to the store where they install them. I’ve bought tires from Costco lots of times for other cars – never a problem. Before ordering, I called their tire department and asked about the sensors. The clerk looked them up in the Schrader catalog (Schrader makes the OEM TPMS) and said they’d be about $49 each but it would take a few weeks to get them. They came in 2 weeks later so I attempted to order the tires. The fronts were out of stock so I ordered just the rears thinking that, if I wait, the fronts may become available but then the rears might be out of stock.

A few weeks later I was able to order the fronts. I called Costco once they were delivered – the guy said installation would take about 1˝ hours. When I got there they pulled ‘Universal Fit’ (p/n 7001) TPM sensors from a Dill cabinet. They never ordered the Schrader OEM ones.

Three hours later they were still struggling to register the sensors with the ECM. On top of that, the stems stick out farther than the originals. Finally they gave up and said I’d have to take it to Chevrolet and have them register the sensors!

Next day, the dealer checked it out. He was able to get a pressure reading from one sensor but none of them would register their unique number. They were either bad or the wrong parts.

Costco agreed to order the correct OEM sensors ; Schrader #20076, OEM P/N 25758220. I’ll have to wait a few more weeks, of course. And they will have to pull the wheels again and break the beads (another opportunity to damage the wheels.) But get this… The Dill sensors were $47 each. The correct Schrader sensors are only $42 each!

The take away here is, if you’re replacing TPM sensors, don’t let them substitute some off brand universal fit replacements. This may become a common practice now that TPMS batteries are starting to fail. Shops won’t want to stock every part number. In my case, the off-brand replacements even cost more than OEM parts. 

FrankTank

That sucks sorry for your troubles. I've always stayed away from places like Costco, Sears etc..for any automotive work..I am sure some of them are good but espeically when it comes to these cars.. even though Corvettes are not an exotic , the average shop like that probably does not work on that many of them.

I just replaced my TPMS sensors in my 07 (got new wheels and tires) and got lucky and bought some used/new ones here on the forum.

crazyeddie

I bought some Michelins for my 2002 Explorer from Costco. When I got home I checked the tire pressure and they were 10 pounds higher in the front than the back. There is no way I would take any vehicle to Costco for tire service, no matter how many patches they may have on their shirt. eddie

erikszr1

Costco is for large boxes of cereal and socks. maybe, just maybe would I bring a beater winter car there for tires, probably not. corvettes and any other performance vehicle do not belong in these type of places. unless you want a guy working for $8.00-12.00 dollars an hour working on you car, go for it. Remember this is what happens. Also, you can buy the tool for $50.00 to program the sensors yourself. it only takes about a minute.

PatriotZ

I am not so sure I would trash all the Costco's and their tire departments.....seems to me that a tire store is only as good as the person who is doing the work and the knowledge of the person behind the counter.....I am sure that many could trash any tire store with some horror story....Guess the same can be said of Chevy Dealers in the minds of many....bottom line...do some research and be comfortable with whoever performs service on your vehicle...

EVRose

Discount Tire put those same generic ones on mine. They are rubber and looked like crap. They also had trouble programming one of them and had to break the bead and stick the tool right up against the sensor for it to work. I got some chrome caps and stem covers and they look fine now.

ButWhatDoIKnow

Thanks for the information regarding the sensors.

RedHottGS

I used a magnet from a scrapped SCSI hard drive to program the TPS sensors on an Expedition, no reason it shouldn't work on these cars, save the $50.

C-INRED

I've always had very good luck with Costco tire shops including with my Corvette, but I haven't had them replace any tire pressure monitors.

Top_Fuel

Since different year C6s use different sensors, I don't know how any TPMS sensor can be considered "universal" for these cars. Try using a 2009 or earlier TPMS sensor on a 2010+ C6, and you'll find out the hard way that they can't be interchanged. I won't say how I know this.

Don't lump all non-OEM sensors together as being no good. I ran Orange Electronic TPMS sensors (available on Amazon for about $30/ea) on my 2009 and they worked great! This was back when OEM sensors were still being sold for $90 each.

Oh...trying to program a C6 sensor with a magnet will only work on early build cars (maybe only '05s or something...can't remember for sure). Bottom line is the vast majority of C6 TPMS sensors can't be programmed with a magnet.

Good Lord I don't even like to park my car in a Costco parking lot. I wouldn't care if they gave me the tires for free...I wouldn't let those guys touch my car.

MWAZ

Always check your own tire pressure with a decent gauge. I recently had a local brand name tire shop replace one bad TPM and when the "technician" finished I checked the pressure with my dial gauge. It was 10 lbs too high. The manager had the kid check it again with his pencil gauge - it read 32 psi. When I showed the manager he said "...oh, sorry, we go through a lot of these pencil gauges, they're not very accurate"!

LMB-C6

There are plenty of horror stories with 'specialty' tire places and dealerships messing up too - it all comes down to the experience of the person doing the work (and having the right equipment).

scottaolsen

I would suggest just replacing sensors that go bad.

VETJAZZ

Globeman

Absolutely!
Just because you go to a dealer or some specialized shop, don't expect the tire changer to be experienced. Trained master mechanics don't change tires, do oil changes, etc. Those jobs go to the new kid or the guy who can't be trusted doing anything more technical.

LFZ

I wouldn't have expected anything less going to Costco for sensor issues.

Rich Mickol

Don C1

Just had new wheels and tires bought and installed at a not to local Corvette only shop. This shop is about an hour and a half ride for me but well worth the piece of mind. The original sensors transferred to the new wheels. All in all a perfect install no worries or sleep lost on scratched wheels or improper lifting. Costco, not for my Corvette.

Boomer111

So how does the OP like the S0-4 tire?

I just installed the same tire recently, also non RF.

The initial turn in was slow at first but I have grown accustomed to them.
I do like the tire a lot.

Globeman

Too soon to tell. We've had heavy rain for the last two days. They seem quieter but the top was down on the way home from the shop so it was hard to tell.