Broken TPMS sensors

Took my truck in to get the wheels rebalanced today and the shop showed me that two of my TPMS sensors were broken, one was bouncing around in the tire. No big deal I got em replaced and went on my way. My only question is how did they break? Truck was used when I bought it but the prior owner was some electric company meter checking service so I can't imagine they've done anything too crazy with it. I've done some light offroading out in the woods camping but that's about it, are they known to break in 2018s and I somehow missed that with all my research before purchasing or did I just get unlucky?

 

Just unlucky. Sometimes they break during wheel and tire swaps. Cheap plastic can only be installed and taken out so many times.

 

Plot twist: the shop broke them and then called you in to show you

 

Well good to know, could have been worse I guess.

 

Was TPMS the light on prior? Is it on now?

 

Most are broken from installation of the tire, possibly a flat repair or seasonal tire mount and balance?

 

Worked at a shop that did lifts and wheels if tpms light wasnt on before, they broke it. It happens when you dont position the sensor correctly on the tire dismount.

 

This the most likely cause.

 

G

They could’ve done it, or it could have been like that for some time.

My buddy & I snapped one of mine off installing my last set of tires. We just put it inside the tire before we put it on the bead. It continued to work for about 8500 miles before my tpms light came on & that tire quit reading.

 

Tire shop broke mine when installing new tires. They replaced it but didn’t tell me. I heard clinking in the wheel for about 1-2k miles until I finally caved and took it to dealer. They found a piece of the broken TPMS and removed it for free.

Good chance the tire shop broke yours too when mounting.

 

I can easily replicate how to break a tire sensor when removing a tire from the rim and putting the tire back on the rim. They just don’t break. I change tires frequently at work and there was only one case where I found a broken tire sensor because when I took the tire off the car, I heard something moving inside.