The Nissan Path

So one of my TPMS sensors is dying slowly...I've been getting the TPMS light after twenty minutes or so of driving regardless of air pressure. Nissan told me yesterday it has a low voltage fault code and has a failing battery. Replacement through them is around $90 something for a new sensor plus remounting and balancing of the tire though, which through them is pretty expensive.

I see sensors for around $50 in a short internet search including eBay, and I know I could get the work done for less. Is this about right? What else should I know (i.e., good vendors vs. bad)?

In previous threads I see something about changing the internals on the cheap, but not a lot of information on how to do that...

ShipFixer wrote: $90

lucky. $135 here after employee discount

I think either way you go, you'll have to go to the dealer to have the new sensor sync'd with your system. And they'll charge you an arm and a leg for that.

Hi,

I recently went through something similar, but with leaking TPMS; here is the thread: http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic.php?t=5035

Basically I am just holding out to buy new tires and purchase new sensors. The posters in the thread say I should be able to get them installed rather cheap with new tires anywhere but nissan dealerships. best of luck.

I saw your thread; my tires have a couple years to go or I'd do the same thing.

In your case if the sensors themselves are still good they do have seal kits for a few dollars per wheel. Wish that were the extent of my problem!

Same issue here...dealer said it'd be $160 to replace a failed sensor. I'm living with the light for now, reasoning that the other three may not be far behind.

Does anyone know of a way to turn the TPMS off in the vehicle? That way you check the pressure like the old days, you get out and use a pressure guage?

For those of us who drive a model other than the LE, can Nissan pinpoint which sensor is bad/failing? Mine started flashing for about 20 seconds when starting up, then it stays solid after that. I pulled & checked the spare since that's what triggered it before, but all tires are fine. I'd rather not get raped by the dealer and their idiotic "diagnostic check" fee, which simply involves them pulling any error codes off the cpu.

Anyone know what the fix for this is? Mine just started today. Tirepressure is fine on all four tires. Could an underinflated spare be causing the lit?

I don't know about a fix. However I'm currently deployed and well my wife sent me a few emails telling me how she likes the TPMS. Driving back from her parents place to our home, the light came on. She pulled over and read the owners manual to find out what it meant. Saw that it was for low air pressure. So she used the GPS to find the nearest tire shop. Pulled in and they found a nail in one of the tires. Kept her from having to call AAA to come change a flat for her. I guess it does have it's benefits.

Even if you take it in, you can't pinpoint which sensor unless you reregister them first. They get mixed up with rotations, winter tires etc. you have to re-reg, then drive until the code comes up, then scan to confirm. Other wise you might get a left-rear code, but really what was the left rear is now on the right-front kinda thing.

Oddly enough - just today I handled a complaint about TPMS, guy complaining about how the old days were better, blah blah. This POS must be leaking or flawed, blah blah. Why should I pay for this....Ends up his after-market wheel had a series of hairline cracks. some segments of wheel craked all the way around. he just came back from camping with his whole family driving on the highway. Ends up a couple months earlier, wife popped a tire on the curb and replaced it. No APPARENT damage found by tire shop. Guess it made a stress point the cracks could start from. TPMS mighta just saved some lives....

I had my oil changed at the dealership a couple of weeks ago ($9.99 coupon) and I had them see if they could figure out why my TPMS light was on. The guy came out and told me it's just one of those things, finnicky TPMS, etc. I then told him how "lame" all of his excuses were, at least right up to the part when he said the light is now off at 33psi. I've had mine inflated to 36-42 cold without any problems before this.

Tech wrote:Even if you take it in, you can't pinpoint which sensor unless you reregister them first. They get mixed up with rotations, winter tires etc. you have to re-reg, then drive until the code comes up, then scan to confirm. Other wise you might get a left-rear code, but really what was the left rear is now on the right-front kinda thing.

That's good to know, Tech. I wish I knew before my wheels got all mixed up. I would have coded each wheel in some way.

Npath wrote:

Tech wrote:Even if you take it in, you can't pinpoint which sensor unless you reregister them first. They get mixed up with rotations, winter tires etc. you have to re-reg, then drive until the code comes up, then scan to confirm. Other wise you might get a left-rear code, but really what was the left rear is now on the right-front kinda thing.

That's good to know, Tech. I wish I knew before my wheels got all mixed up. I would have coded each wheel in some way.

Fyi, this isn't exactly true - yes the car doesn't keep track if you move the wheels around, but many garages have handheld sensors they can use to check at the tire for a RFID signal. When my TPMS originally came on, I stopped by a local garage and they pinpointed the wheel where the dead sensor was.

volvite wrote:Does anyone know of a way to turn the TPMS off in the vehicle? That way you check the pressure like the old days, you get out and use a pressure guage?

Disabling a TPMS system is illegal per a Federal mandate. While it is okay to replace the TPMS sensors with "regular" rubber tire valves, it is not legal to disable the TPMS warning lamp.