TPMS must be replaced when changing tires ? ?

I'm hoping someone here knows if replacement of the TPMS sensors are now mandatory when replacing tires . I do understand that for tire shops that it isn't too difficult to damage them , and by law they can't release the car until it is then replaced . They can't even temporarily put in a old style valve stem .

But my local tire store told my son that as of Oct 2016 that they are required by law , issued by NHTSA , to replace the sensors merely when changing the tires ( on his Altima ) .

I can't find any mention of such a law on line .

Any facts ?

Thanks

George

They shouldn't be replacing the sensors themselves with every tire change, only the seal. They sometimes call it a "rebuild" kit. The sensors themselves should last a good 10 years or more before the battery runs out. A set of decent quality sensors costs $100-$200.

I had tires put on my Legacy last February and 2 tires put on my wife's BRZ in September and we didn't need new sensors. There is no such NHTSA law. I suppose it could be a recall on the OEM equipped TPMS sensors on his specific car model.

I don't see that there's a need to replace the sensors when replacing tires, but it depends on the age of the tire and the estimated lifetime on the new tire combined with the estimated lifetime of the sensor.

And if you have summer and winter tires you can have a complete set of wheels with cloned sensors.

Tire shops works after the "better safe than sorry" perspective and will rather replace the sensors than be held responsible for an accident due to a sensor that has run out of battery.

A dead battery in a wheel sensor can cause an auto accident?

Wow, how did we ever get by without them.

This sounds like a shop is overt eager to make an extra buck.

Yep, there's no need to replace the sensor, the sensor is screwed to the stem.

Hate crap like this. You buy a $100 tire then they add bunch of other junk to rip you off.

I take my wheels to a buddy who works at a car dealer and we just install the tires ourselves.

I just got new tires for my Tacoma in November. New TPMS valves were not installed. The Sams club guy said as long as the system is working they do not change out the units. They have a "rebuild" kit for $ 5 per tire if it is needed.

The tire place is just trying to take money from your son

I just got new tires for my Tacoma in November. New TPMS valves were not installed. The Sams club guy said as long as the system is working they do not change out the units. They have a "rebuild" kit for $ 5 per tire if it is needed.

 

The tire place is just trying to take money from your son

Exactly what Costco told me when I brought in my Outback.

I heard sometimes mechanics break those sensitive sensors while popping out the tire, and just come up to you saying that the TPMS has to be changed. I wonder if this is true....

It's very easy to break them if they aren't paying attention to what their doing. Other than that, it's a piece of cake.

Only thing more dumb than a tire sensor is a car without a spare tire. It would be super easy for these car companies to read pressures through the wheel speed/abs sensors. Honda and Mazda have figured it out and Toyota used to do it that way before it was a law.

It's very easy to break them if they aren't paying attention to what their doing. Other than that, it's a piece of cake.

 

Only thing more dumb than a tire sensor is a car without a spare tire. It would be super easy for these car companies to read pressures through the wheel speed/abs sensors. Honda and Mazda have figured it out and Toyota used to do it that way before it was a law.

On the current Accord all you have to do is initialize the system so it can get a size via rpm reading when switching summer/winter. No batteries to die, no sensors to break...must be nice.

On the current Accord all you have to do is initialize the system so it can get a size via rpm reading when switching summer/winter. No batteries to die, no sensors to break...must be nice.

Our 2002 MINI is the same way! TPMS are not necessary and the system works just fine.

On the current Accord all you have to do is initialize the system so it can get a size via rpm reading when switching summer/winter. No batteries to die, no sensors to break...must be nice.

My point exactly. It's just another way for them to dig in our pockets. $2 for a rubber valve stem or $100 for a tpms sensor. Someone got rich because of that tpms design.