I'd like to get a set of wheels to put on my wife's Encore so I can swap to winter tires. The thing is the car has TPMS. Will that throw errors every time she starts the car with the winter tires if I don't get rims with TPMS valves?

I don't have TPMS sensors in my snows and everything is fine with the exception of the light on the dash. I asked the dealer and they even told me that I'll pass NYS inspection with the light on and assured me the truck would be fine. Mine's a Toyota Tundra so Buick may be different.

In short: most likely.

If you get a second set of wheels and tires, get them with TPMS and have the sensors synced to the car. You'll have to deal with it twice a year, but you'll have the piece of mind that you should get from TPMS, especially if your wife is the one behind the wheel.

I would guess most tire shops would swap the wheels and tires for $25 or $30. Or you can get a TPMS programming tool. I don't know how much you'll be into that.

You will get the air pressure warning light unless you install the TPMS sensors.

Sensors run about $65.00 each at the tire shop I use.

Also the tire shop I use will balance and install the wheels on your car for free every year if you bought the tires and wheels there.

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I don't have TPMS sensors in my snows and everything is fine with the exception of the light on the dash.

That's how I run mine too. Our car has lower profile tires, so we use steel wheels that are a smaller diameter and a tire with a taller sidewall. Only a light, no other issues.

No offense to those who need lights, but I'm generally OK at monitoring the basics without the assistance of a computer.

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Originally posted by a1abdj:
No offense to those who need lights, but I'm generally OK at monitoring the basics without the assistance of a computer.

These have been around a long time.



As for the light, a small piece of electric tape will make it go away and is removeable in the spring.

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Will that throw errors every time she starts the car with the winter tires if I don't get rims with TPMS valves?

Yes. Depending on the setup, you will have a light on. The light might also flash, and you might get a message on the information center (if equipped). Your choices are to get and calibrate sensors for your extra wheels, or just put in rubber valve stems and live with the light and message.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackmore:

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
No offense to those who need lights, but I'm generally OK at monitoring the basics without the assistance of a computer.

These have been around a long time.



As for the light, a small piece of electric tape will make it go away and is removeable in the spring.

Pithy. How does that do for indicating a slow leak at 70 MPH? Or the first time you hop in the car after running over a nail that is leaking but not visibly flat? Check every time before driving? Stop ever 5 miles? Inquiring minds.....

I have been driving for 65 years (well, not continuously, I have taken time out to eat and sleep ). I am trying to figure out how I managed to get along without TPMS sensors for all those years.

I generally find TPMS to be a ain in the neck on our vehicles. If there’s a significantly low tire it is apparent on a walk around or by the vehicle pulling if driving. Don’t need the annoying light that seems more often a false alarm than a real problem. YMMV

Can't you just put in new TPMS valves in the new rims and pair them when you swap the rims over?

I've run winter tires/wheels and a separate set of summer tires/wheels for 10+ years.

At least for my BMW, if you don't have TPMS sensors in all 8 wheels you will have an error/low pressure light. Rather than looking at that all the time I have TPMS in all 8 wheels.

When I do the swap I just have to reset the TPMS using the info screen. Easy-Peasy.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
I generally find TPMS to be a ain in the neck on our vehicles. If there’s a significantly low tire it is apparent on a walk around or by the vehicle pulling if driving. Don’t need the annoying light that seems more often a false alarm than a real problem. YMMV

This. I've had more false alerts from my tpms on my squad car than I can count. The one or two times it's been legit I'd have noticed without the tpms anyway. I don't have them on my personal vehicles, and have never wished I did. Just more expensive computerized stuff mandated by the government to harass us, imo.

I know what a flat tire looks, feels, and sounds like, and im well equipped to deal with one should it occur. I've had flats in the past...when it happens, I get out and change it. It's not a crisis. I keep all the tools to do so in my vehicle, including a small air compressor, and check the pressure in my spare every time I change the oil. Heck....even my wife can change a tire. I'm fine with tpms being an option for folks that want it, but it never should have been mandated on all new vehicles.

I take a look at my tires at least once a day as I walk up to my truck and I think my eyes are better than my TPMS. During the winter when I have wheels with no sensors I'll go days and sometimes weeks that my TPMS light will be off. After I swap the tires in the fall it's usually a few days before the TPMS system realizes the sensors are gone and triggers the light.

Ok, let's get all the chest beating out of our system.

How about them Red Sox?


Ok, the facts are they're on my wife's car, the information display will alert her there's something wrong. I don't want that. Capisci?

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

quote:

Originally posted by Blackmore:

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
No offense to those who need lights, but I'm generally OK at monitoring the basics without the assistance of a computer.

These have been around a long time.



As for the light, a small piece of electric tape will make it go away and is removeable in the spring.

Pithy. How does that do for indicating a slow leak at 70 MPH? Or the first time you hop in the car after running over a nail that is leaking but not visibly flat? Check every time before driving? Stop ever 5 miles? Inquiring minds.....

Just another example of something that was forced down our throats to make cars and tire changes cost more just like back up cameras, adaptive cruise control and lane assist - which may be wonderful down where you are but up here where there can be snow or slush on the road at times for 6 months, how exactly does that feature see the lines in the road to "assist" me? One more example of the nanny state trying to control our lives by making us "safer".

When you purchase a set of wheels with winter tires, if possible get some that use the same lug nuts as your current wheels. It's a bit of a pain having two sets of lug nuts, making sure you have the correct tire wrench to repair flats, etc.

That said, swapping to winter or summer tires on the driveway takes under an hour. Swap each wheel, turn on engine, tell computer to use different set of TMPS sensors, and it's set. Hopefully your wife's car had an easy option for that.

When I put together a set of winter tires, I bought Dorman replacement sensors for right around 40 bucks each. Had them installed when the tires were mounted and they have been flawless ever since.

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Ok, the facts are they're on my wife's car, the information display will alert her there's something wrong. I don't want that.

Then you only have one choice, to put TPM sensors in the other wheels.

You will need to initialize them when the snow wheels are put on the car, and again when the regular wheels are switched back. Any tire shop worth their salt can handle it.

My wife's WRX has 2 sets of wheels/tires. I have TPMS in both. After I change the wheels in the spring and fall, I take it to Discount Tire and they sync the replacements to the vehicle at no charge. The WRX won't store 2 sets.