# Question about TPMS fix **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 12, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850 "2023-09-12T16:54:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oldwaysx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@oldwaysx](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldwaysx)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/1 "2023-09-12T16:54:16Z")
Is it better to fix a sensor on a tire than not to? My tpms light is staying on becuase one of the sensors on my tire is bad a rep told me, but i’ve heard its not necessary to worry about the TPMS becuase one can monitor the tire pressure by checking it manually. But I’ve also heard its best to fix it since there can be damage to the tire (blowout?) at highway speeds that would be hard to catch another way? Is this true and are there any real dangers to my wheel or tire if choose not to get the sensor fixed? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/2 "2023-09-12T17:09:34Z")
Most tires now a days are of a lower profile, lower aspect ratio, so a very low tire on a 50 series feels much different then a very low 75 series tire… So same danger, just less feel for the danger … Yes you can check your air pressure before every trip, but most people, unless having a roof installed, don’t pick up a nail in there driveway, so if it starts going low on pressure you may not know it until the damage is done… Plus the light will not go off with a bad TPMS sensor… But remember, we drove for 100 (give or take) years without TPMS systems… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/3 "2023-09-12T17:21:41Z")
Can you drive without it? Sure. But I’d fix it, I like having a warning that something is wrong with my tire before I’m down on the rim. Also, some DMVs require no lit warning lights at car inspection time - does yours? ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/4 "2023-09-12T18:00:48Z")
> [@oldwaysx](#): > > My tpms light is staying on becuase one of the sensors on my tire is bad a rep told me, but i’ve heard its not necessary to worry about the TPMS becuase one can monitor the tire pressure by checking it manually. On a long drive, are you manually checking the pressure every minute or so? If the answer is no, then you should have a functional TPMS system. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/5 "2023-09-12T18:37:23Z")
And… how will you know if another tire and/or TPMS sensor goes bad? The warning light will stay on whether you have 1 or 4 low tires. There’s always a cost to going the cheap route… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/6 "2023-09-12T19:14:08Z")
> [@lion9car](#): > > On a long drive, are you manually checking the pressure every minute or so? If the answer is no, then you should have a functional TPMS system. +1 I periodically check my tire pressure manually, but that means nothing if I pick up a nail while I am on the road. Yes, we lived for many years w/o such features as TPMS, but most of us also lived w/o seatbelts, and the advantages of both features are fairly obvious. The bottom line is that a properly functioning TPM system will enhance your safety–and the safety of your passengers–especially when driving at high speed. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/7 "2023-09-12T19:35:40Z")
Another way to think about it: tires are the #2 safety system on the car, right after brakes. I want to know they’re working at 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/8 "2023-09-12T19:47:47Z")
> [@oldwaysx](#): > > Is this true and are there any real dangers to my wheel or tire if choose not to get the sensor fixed? I face the same road hazards each day, my cars are 20 years old and do not have tire pressure monitors. You must decide for yourself if you want an operating tire pressure monitor. Is this for that old Nissan Sentra? I wonder how many days that car has left. > [@VDCdriver](#): > > Yes, we lived for many years w/o such features as TPMS, but most of us also lived w/o seatbelts, and the advantages of both features are fairly obvious. Does your vehicle have a spare tire? A tire pressure monitor is a necessity for vehicles with no spare tire. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/9 "2023-09-12T20:13:56Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > Does your vehicle have a spare tire? A tire pressure monitor is a necessity for vehicles with no spare tire. It didn’t when it came from the factory, but I bought a spare from _Modern Spare._ ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/10 "2023-09-12T21:29:14Z")
I threw my tools in car with floor jack and went to work on friends car and got a flat tire on way. No tpms. Least I had a good jack. And no warning. ---
**Author:** ![vipergg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@vipergg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vipergg)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/11 "2023-09-13T03:02:19Z")
I’d fix it just for the fact I hate having any yellow light on my dashboard . Do you absolutely need it ? Of course not , they have only been required since 2008 so we did not even have them for the most part until then . Figure $70 a tire if you fix them . The batteries last on average maybe 7 years . ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 3:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/12 "2023-09-13T03:15:13Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > The bottom line is that a properly functioning TPM system will enhance your safety–and the safety of your passengers–especially when driving at high speed. What @VDCdriver wrote… Not to mention everyone else sharing the road with you… Remember, when a tire goes, it’s not always you stuck on the side of the road, you might lose control of your car… I say fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 11:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/13 "2023-09-13T11:24:19Z")
The decision is up to you. My thoughts, how soon do you plan to replace the tires? Are all the TPMS the same age? As vipers noted, the TPMS batteries last on **average** 7 years. When I purchased new tires, TPMS were 9 years old, still working, but had the sensors replaced at the same time as the tires. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/14 "2023-09-13T11:51:53Z")
> [@LoudThunder](#): > > Remember, when a tire goes, it’s not always you stuck on the side of the road, you might lose control of your car… I say fix it. +1 With many (perhaps most) known issues regarding needed repairs, people seem to envision their car breaking-down (or otherwise being in need of immediate repair) in their driveway, or in another convenient location. A person whose engine is overdue for a timing belt replacement is more likely to have it snap on the highway, instead of in his driveway. Similarly, a person is much more likely to need a functioning TPMS while on an expressway, than he is while driving around town–close to home. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/15 "2023-09-13T14:14:06Z")
A good friend of mines favorite saying on the subject is “that tie rid end don’t normally fall off sitting in your driveway”… lol ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/16 "2023-09-13T22:33:13Z")
Safety issues always involves compromises. Cars are inherently dangerous, never completely safe. Tie rods for example are seldom replaced proactively, b/c they _might_ fall off. They are replaced when testing shows a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/17 "2023-09-13T23:18:05Z")
Got a caprice years ago and tie rod was loose. I was unscrewing it and the joint broke in my hands. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/18 "2023-09-13T23:33:12Z")
Just to pipe in, sure it is a bad thing to drive on tires that are not properly inflated. On my cars, if a sensor goes bad, it indicates which tire is not getting the signal. Then you just gi to a tire shop and have that sensor replaced. There is virtually no need to change them all and I have only had three go out in the last 15 years. You can change them all if you want when getting tires but I’d guess very few people do that. Now if the op has a system that doesn’t indicate which sensor is bad, sure then change them all but might as well just get new tires at th3vsam3 time. I have to think though that a tire shop can use their computer to determine which sensor is not functional. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/19 "2023-09-14T00:06:41Z")
The majority of people have a hard enough time affording the tires they are buying (being half are living pay check to pay check), much less adding another $300+ to the cost of new tires for all new TPMS sensors (don’t forget some full size spares have a sensor also)… ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2023, 12:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850/20 "2023-09-14T00:25:37Z")
> [@bing](#): > > On my cars, if a sensor goes bad, it indicates which tire is not getting the signal. Then you just gi to a tire shop and have that sensor replaced. Just have the sensor replaced? Do you have a lifetime warranty on your cars? Other people are expected to pay for their repairs. I replaced two tire pressure sensors today, $105 each plus labor. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-tpms-fix/192850.md?page=2)