I've been getting lots of different info about the tire pressure monitoring system on the G5. I'm hoping that someone can clear things up.

I've been told by a local tire shop that the sensor in the tire needs to be calibrated to the rim diameter. Seems unlikely to me, but who knows? Other tire shops disagree and the dealer is unsure.

Most shops (heck all shops) are pushing me to skip the sensors and ignore the light on the dash. I figure that the car is new and I might as well have everything working. I think they just don't want to deal with the sensors due to lack of experience.

I have a G5 GT on order and I am getting snow tires now so that they are mounted and ready to go. Stock rims are 17" and the snows are 16". I'm picking up another set of sensors in the morning that will be for the snows.

I've also been told that the sensors "go into sleep mode" if unused for a length of time. They may need to be re-activated by the dealer. Supposedly I may run into this spring and fall when I swap rims. Any truth to this?

Anyone have experience with running two sets of wheels with sensors?

Thanks for the help.

Later,
Brad

 

i work at a discount tire and if the tpms is on the valve stem it is very easy to swap over to othe rwheels.... some wheels use a band sensor.... this is alittle harder to swap over... find out what kinda tpms is uses and let me know and i cn help u more then

 

It has the pressure sensor on the valve stem.

I plan on keeping the factory 17" rims complete and having a complete set of snows with sensors in them as well.

The new sensors are OEM GM sensors. Both sets are on the valve stem.

Thanks,
Brad

 

im pretty sure they an be swapped over. havent had to do it yet but i think it could. diameter has nothing to do with it. tey dont go into sleep mode either. if you do swap them over you ahve to relearn the tire positions, same if you rotate. you have to do the relearn at the dealership tho. takes all of 2 minutes. im a GM junior tech by the way. most of the stuff i said is correct to my knowledge.

 

I work for GM if u purchase the sensors for your G5 and have them installed with your snow tires all should work fine and all GM does is a TPM Learn on the new sensors to your car....When you put the 17's back on a relearn will need to be done again because those are different sensors.

Thank god you are installing sensors I get tons of people all the time my service tire light is on and they have after market wheels and never had sensors installed.

I know at our dealer most of the time we don't charge to do a relearn. some dealers may charge u a bit but not more then $30 i would assume.

Hope that helps you out...

 

Thanks for the help guys. Sounds like I will be O.K.

It was getting pretty annoying asking all around and getting nothing but shoulder shrugs from the local shops.

LaserBlue07SS - No doubt you get lots of cars in with the TPMS light on. Every local shop, even the dealer here was telling me to skip the sensors. Everyone calling me everything but an idiot for wasting money on another set of sensors just for winter tires.

Thanks again for the help guys.

Later,
Brad

 

Just thought I would post up some pictures of the wheel sensors for the tpms system.







The last picture is the nut that you can see on the bottom of the valve stem, once it is installed on the rim.

When I was looking for a set of rims at the wreckers, no one could tell me if the rim was equipped with tpms or not. Now that I have the sensors, it is obvious just by looking at the valve stem if they are on a rim or not. Regular valve stem = no tpms, nut on the valve stem = tpms. At least for a factory installed system.

Another thing .... you can get these sensors for a reasonable price. I was originally quoted over $100 per sensor, plus the nut for each. These ones cost less then $30ea directly from the dealer. Just need to find the right dealership !!

Later,
Brad

 

you can have a "tpm" and have a regular valve stem. it goes off wheel speed sensors. although with this type of sensor it will only say low tire pressure, it wont tell you whih tire or any of the psi's

 

What models come with that system? The dealer went through quite a few models and every one we looked at had this type of system.

Are you talking factory system or aftermarket?

Later,
Brad

 

im pretty sure that the mid 2000's malibus had them, some of the lower monte carlos and impalas all had them. pre-2006 i believe. The wheel speed sensor will pic up the lowest tire pressure beause with less air it will spin faster. on the information system it will say "check tire pressure" or "low pressure" but it wont say which tire. it also doesnt have the option of looking at the actual tire pressures like the new ones.

 

thats not the new design......

the new design can be taken apart in 2 pieces, there is a little phillips head behind the stem to take off the sensor part. then you give it alittle tuggy tuggy to get the stem out and put it on the other wheel.

the sensors need to be learned to the corner of the car they are on...

ex: LF shows the sensor is on the left front on the DIC (driver information center)

it is true that if the sensors sit for periods of time (couple of hours) the sensors will go into sleep mode to save power. if you drive the car for about 10 miles the sensors are reactivated and will update on the DIC

anytime a rotate is done to the car all the sensors have to be relearned so the car can read them.....any questions just ask or pm me

 

he got it right ^

i believe the older silverados and tahos went off wheel speed. I know for a fact they have wheel speed sensrs because theres a whole ampaign for them and i did about 4 this week alone

 

Not the new design? This is what the dealer says is for the 2008 G5 and Cobalt. Is the newer design you describe for these cars?

Later,
Brad