Why is my dashboard excited?

[Libra Monkee]

So today on my way into work I got a new warning light I hadn't seen before.



My reaction of course was "...the hell does THAT mean?". Being stuck in traffic because Virginians don't know how to share the road and crash into each other all the time, I had time to Google it. Turns out the car has a TPMS sensor and it doesn't like the wheels I put on it yesterday with my snow tires.

Luckily, according to TireRack the TPMS doesn't have to be working for the car to pass inspection in PA. So as long as I don't mind that light being on the whole time I don't have to change from my Winter tires to get the car inspected this weekend. Or have to spend the $412 TireRack is quoting the buy the sensors and still have to pay somebody else to install and pair them the car.

[Sabre]

Yep, TPMS are in most car now... or at least any car with runflats stock

That's a ridiculous amount on the sensors!!!!!

[Mr Kleen]

$416!?! TPMS sensors for the 135 are "only" $40 each.

I don't run TPMS sensors on my winter wheels and tires as they aren't runflats. I think I am going to put them on the summer set even though they won't be runflats either.

[chicken n waffles]

some folks put electrical tape over the warning light when running their winter setup.



warning? what warning?

[PGT]

active TPMS is mandatory on all cars as of 2010 or so (meaning wheel-based sensors, no more ABS-sensing types). It can be a real PITA if you swap wheels and can't stand the warning light. On some cars, they actively show pressure and location of the warning. In others (re: Subaru), it's just an idiot light. To make matters worse, most Japanese cars must be re-programmed each wheel swap (i.e. they can't store more than four sensor ID's and need to be "coded" each time). In others, the systems are smart and pick up the new sensors automatically.

<--- has had two expensive, yet dumb Japanese cars in the last two years while also owning an expensive, yet "smart" German one. Zee Germans do eet bitter.

[thermobox]

TPMS was in response to Ford's roll-over issues. Ford blamed it all on tire pressure. So the gubment mandated TPMS.

[complacent]

that icon looks like an enemy in a mario brothers game.

[thermobox]

Denim denim denim. Denim denim denim. Oh Noes! Watch out fer the TPMonsters!

[zaxrex]

Which one?
or

[Mr Kleen]

Zak, you just blew my mind...

[chicken n waffles]

that icon looks like an enemy in a mario brothers game.

they look the same!

they look so god damned much the same. i say you want ice cream? both of them say yes.

HCCHOW IN THE HCCHELL?

[Libra Monkee]

that icon looks like an enemy in a mario brothers game.

Really? I thought it kinda looked like a metroid.