I'm planning to get new wheels & tires (20's & 19's). Will our pressure sensor still work with the new equipment? I know the sensor is in the valve stem, but how exactly does it work?

 

As far as I know you can mount the valve stems into any wheel that will accept them.

First thing: when un-mounting your orig tires you need to remove the valve stems BEFORE breaking the bead on the tire. The stems have a locking nut on the outside. Allow the stem to fall inside the tire, then retrieve it after the tire has been popped off the rim.

You will also want to be careful when mounting the tire on the new rim that you don't damage the sensor.

The stem has a little box on the inboard end of it that sends radio signals to the garage door opener module above your mirror. If the measured pressure at the tire is different from any previous measurement, or if the pressure exceeds a certain upper and lower limit, the tire pressure light will come on in your dash.

Also, there seems to be an issue with corrosion. The Valve stem is aluminum, so unless you are installing in into another aluminum wheel, it is more prone to corrode. For instance in a steel wheel, the aluminum will corrode (that whole electrolysis thing - check your grade 10 science manual) and you will lose the integrity of the seal at the stem.

Hope that helps.

 

Andrew,
How did you know that about the radio signals? I always wondered how it got to the light on the dash, being that the wheel spins and all, obviously there can't be any wires.
Very interesting!

 

I've been having some problems with my TPM so I got an education from the dealer tech.