# Tire pressure monitoring **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** touareg, volkswagen\ **Created:** [October 23, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492 "2009-10-23T03:51:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DC\_Mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@DC\_Mike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DC_Mike)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/1 "2009-10-23T03:51:57Z")
I have a VW Toureg with 70000 miles. The tire pressure monitoring system reports that the system is faulty. VW Service tells me that the batteries are bad in the sensors and must be replaced for $1000+. Is there any way to delete the system on the computer? ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 11:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/2 "2009-10-23T11:28:03Z")
I believe that it can be turned off with a VAGCOM. However you might want to look for a local independent mechanic that knows VW’s and get a second opinion and have them do any necessary work. A VW knowledgeable mechanic will have a VAGCOM or the newer version. Personally I am not a fan of those monitors. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/3 "2009-10-23T23:04:11Z")
True, they are an expensive item to fix/replace. Heck, just look at what tirerack wants to charge you when you buy new rims and tires if your car has TPMS on it. Also, I doubt most people bother to use/check the thing anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/4 "2009-10-23T23:11:54Z")
I cannot believe 4 sensors would cost $1000…I believe toyota wants $100per…valve stems are valve stems??? or am I missing something…also not all four may need to be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/5 "2009-10-24T00:14:39Z")
P.T. Barnum was right…There IS a sucker born every minute…You can buy a tire gauge at any parts store for $1.98 When this stuff goes through a shredder, it all looks the same, and has the same value. $50/ton. ---
**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/6 "2009-10-24T02:59:35Z")
We have two newer cars with tire pressure monitors. When the batteries in the wheel sender units go flat, I will be ready with a piece of black tape to place over the dash light. $100 per sending unit (I have heard of $125) is too much and you can believe that when the reality of this settles in to enough people who will complain, a better way will be forthcoming. The NHTSA wanted this because there are too many idiots running around loose who will not check their tire pressures. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/7 "2009-10-24T03:43:51Z")
In order to collect compound interest, in states that still have “safety inspections”, ANY dashboard warning light is usually grounds to fail the inspection, forcing the hapless car-owner to spend hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars to make a dashboard light go out, all in the interests of “safety” when they can not prove any safety improvement exists…They just THINK it MIGHT exist, like saying emissions testing reduces air pollution… ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/8 "2009-10-24T15:19:02Z")
The sending unit is integrated with the valve stem. Therefore the valve stem is special. You can’t replace the batteries, just the sending units. The tires have to be dismounted to replace the stem/sending unit assembly. That’s one reason why the procedure is so expensive. Here’s an explanation: [http://www.precisionframe.com/tire/tpms.php](http://www.precisionframe.com/tire/tpms.php) ---
**Author:** ![msn1956](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@msn1956](https://community.cartalk.com/u/msn1956)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/9 "2010-01-13T03:55:53Z")
I just had 3 sensors replaced at the dealer. The parts were about $125 each and with labor the total was about $600. Did I save $600 in gas by keeping the tires propretly inflated for the past 5 years? Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![AL5000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@AL5000](https://community.cartalk.com/u/AL5000)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-pressure-monitoring/38492/10 "2010-01-13T13:09:41Z")
Not in Mass. Warnings for TPMS, air bags, etc are not fails for safety, as they are not reuqired to begin with.