How long is everyone's TPMS batteries lasting and what are you going to do when they die?

I checked the air pressure before driving yesterday with the arctic cold we have been experiencing and added air to my spare when I Fluid Filmed it in November. I was driving and the TPMS light came on for like 5 minutes, then when out. That got me thinking, I have the original batteries in my TPMS. How long are everyone's batteries lasting and what are you going to do when they need to be replaced. In Massachusetts it's not required to have a working TPMS to pass the State inspection, so is it worth getting it fixed when the batteries die? I don't like asking a question that has already been asking here, but I couldn't find an answer using TW search engine.

 

I don't know about you...but I would just have them replaced the next time you get a set of tires...my truck is 12 hears old and they still seem to.work on mine.

On a side note...for some reason...i didn't think they used batteries?

 

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Yeah, mine are about the same age, which surprised me they lasted this long. I watched Scotty Kilmer and he displayed an aftermarket TPMS that can be installed externally (on the valve stems) and you can view each wheels pressure, without paying to replace them inside the wheels. There is also a locking mechanism that keeps them from being stolen too.

 

I think I will have them replaced next fall when I get new tires. With the cost of each TPMS unit, plus pulling tire and rebalancing, heck that has to be about $250 -$300 I would think. Never had to do it yet. I’m going to buy Michelin defenders so I would hate to just put those on and 2 yrs later my light starts blinking.

 

Here is the external TPMS Scotty showed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZYKQTDH/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8


Here is the video Scotty made on the TPMS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33QPO8fqKZc

 

2007, bought it in April. If I had to guess based on other things, previous owner never changed them. Happy 2018, batteries.

 

Last November, my TMPS light came on, 10+ year old truck with 166K on it... I was having the tires balanced/rotated and told the guy to find the issue and estimate the cost. He said that the spare and two rear tires were not talking at all, and the front tires were reporting incorrectly (reporting 38psi when the tire held 30). Now, I waved the BS on him because I didn't think they reported a pressure, just reported x number psi change from where they were calibrated/set.
I asked the counter guy for the estimate and he said $125 per sensor and 20 each to install them... he was nice to me and said they would continue the lifetime balance on the tires and balance after install under that deal. Thanks! So, $725 and then I would have seen some tax and stuff... I kinda like that little Ninja Turtle sticker my grand daughter gave me that I have over the TMPS light now.
I looked at Amazon for the OEM (I think) sensor and it was $46 each, but I think you'd have to get them registered with the system, so you have some shop time to do that.

 

Yeah, I check my tires for proper inflation regularly, so I think I will negate the dummy light, in favor of the 2 cents electrical tape repair.

 

Discount Tire Direct, $25 each. I had a sensor go out so I replaced all 5. You do not have to have the tires dismounted and rebalanced to replace sensors. They can just break the tire at the valve, replace the sensor and air up the tire. I just came back from TN. and no problems with vibrations or shimmy on the interstates. I was lucky, the garage did not even charge me for replacing the sensors and reprogramming the tpms.

 

I had 2 go bad this last summer on my 09. Went ahead and replaced them all. I thought it was a bit short, but maybe not.

 

Just put electrical tape over the light. TPMS is the worst invention ever.

Can’t disable it without jumping through electrical hoops, cost more to maintain it, and if you really have that much air out of your tire, it’ll be visually noticeable anyways.

 

In my opinion the oil change maint. dummy light is even worse than the TPMS.

 

Toyota uses Direct TPMS sensors. They do in fact report the absolute pressure for every tire. He was right.

 

My truck is 9 and my TPMS are failing now.

 

Just had one go bad recently on my '11. Luckily was covered under the extended warranty and replaced for free. I was told they last about 8 years (or so). But ya for about $200 per tire to have them replaced at the dealer I wasn't happy at first.

 

While overall TPMS is more of a tech gimmick than anything, I did have a tire begin to lose air via slow leak from a nail. Tire wasn’t quite that low visually, but light came on, I found the culprit, and I was able to at least get myself to a tire place while I still had a decent air pressure in the tire. Mainly was helpful as at the time I lived in an apartment and hardly had any tools, no air compressor.

I can see how it can be helpful in certain situations.

The price however to replace/reprogram new sensors is bullshit.

 

I called around about getting some new sensors flashed, and everyone I called said they’d do it for free. Even Costco would. I wouldn’t budget for that, it should be free with a small tip.

 

The manual rats us all out.... aftermarket wheels/tires, snows, mud, chains... all will freak out tpms.

This 2017 is my first rig with tpms, have no relevant experience.

 

My TMPS light has been on almost since I bought the truck.