tyre pressure sensors

[Gary Waugh]

I apologise if this has been asked before, my expedition has started reporting tire sensor errors when I drive it, I suspect these are the original sensors (so 12 years old!!). I want to get them replaced, but I don't know if I have to go to Ford for this (great sensors but probably expensive) or is this something that I can get done elsewhere for less? I assume they have to reprogram the car top recognise the new sensors. Are there different makes/models of sensor? Anything to avoid or be aware of?

Regards Gary

 

[Adieu]

Yes?

Yes to all of that.

I think you need band sensors, or stem sensors made to replace Ford band sensors

Dealer would prolly gouge you $100/tire and remember to do the spare too.... aftermarket and random immigrant-owned tire shop, you could probably get it sorted for <$100 total (including sensors, but bring your own from Amazon or wherever, don't buy from Jose's Used Tires)

Programming is done via shamanic song and dance with a one-button box ($39 Ford, $15 knockoff)

 

[Gary Waugh]

Well I ordered the 4 new band sensors (as I have never used the spare wheel, I am hoping the battery in that TPMS unit will still be good). The sensors arrived the next day (got to love Amazon Prime!!), removed each wheel (one at a time), removed the tyre and replaced the sensor, and put the wheel back on, moved to the next wheel, etc, took me 2 hours to do all 4 wheels (no rush), unfortunately the TPMS programming tool did not arrive with the new sensors, so the car doesn't recognize any of the TPMS units and reports low tyre pressure!! Hopefully the programming tool will arrive early next week and I can finish the job. The sensors where $34 each (genuine Motorcraft) so not too bad. Hope these will last 12 more years like the originals!!

Gary

 

[Adieu]

Well I ordered the 4 new band sensors (as I have never used the spare wheel, I am hoping the battery in that TPMS unit will still be good). The sensors arrived the next day (got to love Amazon Prime!!), removed each wheel (one at a time), removed the tyre and replaced the sensor, and put the wheel back on, moved to the next wheel, etc, took me 2 hours to do all 4 wheels (no rush), unfortunately the TPMS programming tool did not arrive with the new sensors, so the car doesn't recognize any of the TPMS units and reports low tyre pressure!! Hopefully the programming tool will arrive early next week and I can finish the job. The sensors where $34 each (genuine Motorcraft) so not too bad. Hope these will last 12 more years like the originals!!

Gary

You DIY your mounting and balancing on tires?

That's one thing I always leave to shops

 

[Gary Waugh]

Not exactly, I marked the tyre and rim with a marker pen, and when I put each tyre back on I made sure the marks ligned up exactly. If the new TPMS units have a different weight than the old ones then I will have some imbalance, but hopefully it’s very small. I get my tires rotated every 5000 miles and will have the shop check the balance at that time!! As I did each wheel one at a time, I know I have not mixed tyres and rims, and the tyre can only go on in one direction or my marks would not align, so I should be good. Had the car up to 80mph and no vibration was felt..

Gary

 

[762mm]

^ That's pretty smart! Thanks for posting the procedure you used.

 

[Gary Waugh]

I was at my Ford dealership on Saturday and asked about the cost, they told me they charge 1.5 hours labor to change the sensors and an additional 1 hour to reprogram the sensors!! So there was almost $300 in dealer costs and the sensors are $120 each so for all four sensors I would have been looking at $500 plus the labor/programming, would have cost ~$800!! I paid $150 for the 4 sensors and my labor was free and $35 for the programming tool, so total cost was less than $200, saved myself around $600!! Very happy with myself!!

Gary