Tire pressure sensor

Bought the truck with aftermarket rims and tires. 5 years later getting new tires on and the guy at the shop is saying he can't take them off without breaking the sensor?? Anyone had this issue

 

Take it to a new tire shop. A shop that actually knows what they're doing.

 

How does he know it even has sensors?

 

TPMS sensors look different from a regular valve stem - even from the outside of the wheel. It's pretty obvious if you look at two side by side. Usually regular valve stems are rubber and the TPMS ones are metal.

 

Can you post a close up picture of your rims.

 

I'd buy new sensors and have them installed with the new tires. Typical life of sensors is 7-8 years and the ones you have now won't outlast the new tires. If you wait until they die you'll have to pay to have new ones installed, or wait until you buy tires the next time. A set of 4 new sensors now will cost you about $80 and any shop will install them free when mounting new tires. Expect to pay $10-$20 per tire to have them installed later.

Depends on the vehicle. The ones on many other vehicles are rubber and look exactly the same as old school stems with no sensors.

 

So what can happen is the valve core can corrode into the TPMS and you can't remove it. Sometimes they are over torque as well to compound the issue.

Metal valve caps can also fuse to the metal housing.

 

Rubber or metal stem check your pressure like we have done for decades. Electrical gauge in my glove box it's not hard and maybe you'll have a look at the tire ware while you are at it..

 

Just get rid of the &%$#*! sensors and buy a tire pressure gauge.