Replace TMPS When Installing New Tires?

[Phil Florida]

I have a 2018 Ram 1500 that I am replacing the tires for the first time.

The vehicle was manufactured April 2018 so the sensors are 6 years old.

I expect to get 6 years of service out of the new tires so the sensors at that point would be 12 years old.

Should I have the sensors replaced or just roll the dice and go with the original sensors?

If I did end up with a bad sensor can the trouble code be cleared until I have it replaced?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Scottly]

When the sensor goes bad, the code will not disappear because it is a constant fault. If you seriously expect 6yrs life out of those tires, for the cost of those sensors I'd replace them with factory units, not the cheap aftermarket ones. But that's just me.

 

[Atcer2018]

I’d pass on the sensors. In my humble opinion it’s worth the gamble. Replacing TPMS sensors used to be an expensive endeavor but today it’s relatively cheap, heck even Walmart does them. I currently have four vehicles with two kids in college. The vehicles range from 5 to 13 years old. All vehicles are on the original factory sensors except one wheel which had a sensor damaged by the shop that put her last set of tires on two years ago. The shop used a generic sensor cloned to the original and it works perfectly.

 

[EdGs]

I have a 2015 SLT, still on the original sensors at 184,000 miles.

Now that I've said that..........lol

 

[diymirage]

my local tire shop charges 100 dollars to install a TPMS sensor

or, i could buy a set of them for 80 dollars online, and have them install them while they are swapping out the tires and they wont charge me since it is allready dismounted

guess what i would do?

 

[Curmudgeon]

I have a 2015 SLT, still on the original sensors at 184,000 miles.

Now that I've said that..........lol

My 2014, 107,000 miles, all 4 sensors are factory and no trouble.

Of course, now that I've said that...


EDITED TO ADD: I just realized my TPMS sensors have outlasted both RKE FOBS which were just recently replaced.

 

[Curmudgeon]

my local tire shop charges 100 dollars to install a TPMS sensor

or, i could buy a set of them for 80 dollars online, and have them install them while they are swapping out the tires and they wont charge me since it is allready dismounted

guess what i would do?

Yes, but are the $80 online sensors filled with Nitrogen?

 

[diymirage]

Yes, but are the $80 online sensors filled with Nitrogen?

well, yes, BUT they are filled by the same people who fill chips bags, so when you install them in the wheel, you still need to inflate the tire to get the sensor to the appropriate level

 

[huntergreen]

My 2016 is still running original sensors. I’ll replace when they break.

 

[White six four]

I just had new tires put on last week and got new sensors installed at the same time on my 16. For me it was the convenience factor since they were already putting on the new tires. I'm gone most weeks for work and if I do have to bring the truck somewhere it usually involves dropping it off the Sunday before and picking it up Friday. A trip there and back with 2 vehicles 15-30 minutes one way depending on the shop. Also while I'm gone the wife wouldn't have a backup vehicle during the week in case something happened to her suv (I usually take my work beater car during the week. Truck is parked).

If I worked closer to home or was home more in general I probably wouldn't have changed them out.

 

[Jeepwalker]

IDK what the failure rate on online sensors is...but the last two vehicles I bought the sensors myself (RockAuto), and at least one was faulty on each vehicle. We didn't test them in advance, which we should have. One older vehicle I just left them. That wipes out some of the savings if ya need to pay to replace them. Probably just my bad luck.

 

[markabby]

can of worms: what if you have nitrogen in your tires/

 

[TotallyHucked]

I'd just leave the OE sensors in. My '17 is on it's originals as far as I know and it's on it's 3rd set of tires.

 

[diymirage]

I just had new tires put on last week and got new sensors installed at the same time on my 16. For me it was the convenience factor since they were already putting on the new tires. I'm gone most weeks for work and if I do have to bring the truck somewhere it usually involves dropping it off the Sunday before and picking it up Friday. A trip there and back with 2 vehicles 15-30 minutes one way depending on the shop. Also while I'm gone the wife wouldn't have a backup vehicle during the week in case something happened to her suv (I usually take my work beater car during the week. Truck is parked).

If I worked closer to home or was home more in general I probably wouldn't have changed them out.

My tire shop is close enough that I just toss a bike in the bed and pedal that home, takes about half an hour and is great cardio

 

[El Guapo Phil]

My 2016 Ram still has the factory sensors...92K mile and many tire changes.

 

[indept]

can of worms: what if you have nitrogen in your tires/

All tires are inflated with 78% nitrogen minimum

 

[Daw14]

can of worms: what if you have nitrogen in your tires/

You must evacuate and then reuse , I’ve heard the epa is starting to crack down on those who release it to the atmosphere.

 

[CamperMike]

I wouldn't bother replacing them now. But if you choose to I'd go with a quality unit either oem or a major supplier like Huf or Schrader or VDO. They make many of the oem Tpms sensors.

 

[EdGs]

All tires are inflated with 78% nitrogen minimum

That is too funny!

 

[Curmudgeon]

All tires are inflated with 78% nitrogen minimum

Yes, but it's only a blend.