[mediocrity]

Hi.

Wal Mart charges 7 bucks per rotation per tire here for cars with TPMS, and 2 bucks for cars without it.

I dont really care if my sensor lights up, I am more than capable of checking my tire pressure by myself like a big boy (some modern features are great but does anyone in human civilization appreciate this stupid feature?)

Is this the only consequence of ignoring the tpms on tire rotations? i want to save the 20 dollar difference.

 

[subiesailor]

Hi.

Wal Mart charges 7 bucks per rotation per tire here for cars with TPMS, and 2 bucks for cars without it.

I dont really care if my sensor lights up, I am more than capable of checking my tire pressure by myself like a big boy (some modern features are great but does anyone in human civilization appreciate this stupid feature?)

Is this the only consequence of ignoring the tpms on tire rotations? i want to save the 20 dollar difference.

What does TPMS have to do with tire rotation? As long as the tires remain on the car TPMS doesn't care. Sounds like a sales gimmick to me.

 

[SE95]

It is likely they will charge you either way, the shop has to make sure the system is working when the vehicle leaves, per federal law.

Just do it yourself and save all of the money.

 

[SE95]

What does TPMS have to do with tire rotation? As long as the tires remain on the car TPMS doesn't care. Sounds like a sales gimmick to me.

A lot of cars have TPMS that requires recalibrating every rotation. A lot of GMs and Chryslers for example. They display the pressures in clear numbers inside the car, so the system has to know which sensor = which tire.

 

[OBnube]

What does TPMS have to do with tire rotation? As long as the tires remain on the car TPMS doesn't care. Sounds like a sales gimmick to me.

+1. Tell them they are aftermarket wheels w/o TPMS.

 

[subiesailor]

A lot of cars have TPMS that requires recalibrating every rotation. A lot of GMs and Chryslers for example. They display the pressures in clear numbers inside the car, so the system has to know which sensor = which tire.

All the new systems are very simple wireless battery sensors which simply signal the ECU that pressure is within spec doesn't matter if you rotate the tires or even if one is dumped in the spair tire bin with the proper pressure as long as all 4 sensors are seen and heard from thats all the TPMS system wants to know.

 

[SE95]

All the new systems are very simple wireless battery sensors which simply signal the ECU that pressure is within spec doesn't matter if you rotate the tires or even if one is dumped in the spair tire bin with the proper pressure as long as all 4 sensors are seen and heard from thats all the TPMS system wants to know.

I'm saying that is why they charge for TPMS, because a lot of cars (probably a good 50-75% of the cars they deal with) require the system to be reset every time. I'm not debating whether this is required for Subarus.

 

[mpnret]

It is likely they will charge you either way, the shop has to make sure the system is working when the vehicle leaves, per federal law.

Just do it yourself and save all of the money.

I'm betting on this one. The charge is for the extra time to make sure it is working now that the law has been clarified for all the tire shops by the Tire Industry Association.

 

[AltaBrig]

Hi.

Wal Mart charges 7 bucks per rotation per tire here for cars with TPMS, and 2 bucks for cars without it.

I dont really care if my sensor lights up, I am more than capable of checking my tire pressure by myself like a big boy (some modern features are great but does anyone in human civilization appreciate this stupid feature?)

Is this the only consequence of ignoring the tpms on tire rotations? i want to save the 20 dollar difference.

Firestone, Costco, Discount/America's Tire do not charge for TPMS service/reprogram with balance and rotation(new tire install re-program yes).

I have rotated and cross rotated my tires 7 times and the TPMS needed no re-set or reprogram.


Only time the system re-set was when my tire was punctured and went low a couple of times at elevation due to increased pressure. After the fill and/or fix, when the wheel warmed up the light went off.

 

[mediocrity]

Thanks guys.

I just called firestone and they want 25 bucks for a tire rotation, so I guess it doesn't matter in the end. I'm not beating that.

I'll be buying the equipment and doing it myself next time.

THanks.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Just had my 2013 OB in for its free oil change and paid $24.95 for tire rotation and Re programing the TPMS. I was told by the service manager that they only do this because sometimes the TPMS doesn't reset its self properly.

 

[AltaBrig]

Thanks guys.

I just called firestone and they want 25 bucks for a tire rotation, so I guess it doesn't matter in the end. I'm not beating that.

I'll be buying the equipment and doing it myself next time.

THanks.

Firestone or Discount should sell you a lifetime balance and rotation with a coupon for less than $50.

 

[signage]

I wouldn't let WalMart auto service clean my windshield!

 

[subiesailor]

Just had my 2013 OB in for its free oil change and paid $24.95 for tire rotation and Re programing the TPMS. I was told by the service manager that they only do this because sometimes the TPMS doesn't reset its self properly.

I will explain this one more time. Once the TPMS sensors are set up they do not require anything!!! That is they need NO SPECIAL TREATMENT when tires are rotated!

This means you can rotate the tires your self in your driveway and TPMS does not care..........

Any of you being sold the TPMS reset Bull are being taken for a ride.

 

[vr4Legacy]

I'll be buying the equipment and doing it myself next time.

There is no equipment to buy. You car comes with a lug wrench, a spare and a jack.

While not ideal, I've done it many times this way. Just remove one tire, put on the spare with 2 lug nuts. Continue around rotating tires until to replace the spare. Personally I like to use a torque wrench when done, but I will almost guarantee walmart won't.

Just tighten them tight and recheck after a few hundred miles.

Ideally get yourself a set of jack stands and a floor jack.

With a Subaru there is nothing required for the TPMS.

 

[OutbackUFO]

I will explain this one more time. Once the TPMS sensors are set up they do not require anything!!! That is they need NO SPECIAL TREATMENT when tires are rotated!

This means you can rotate the tires your self in your driveway and TPMS does not care..........

Any of you being sold the TPMS reset Bull are being taken for a ride.

Spot on. Yesterday I had new tires put on my OB and the wheels got rotated around because of this and the TPMS was fine after all this. NO RESET NEEDED.
Whoever is saying that the system needs a reset is full of it...

 

[reddoak]

All the new systems are very simple wireless battery sensors which simply signal the ECU that pressure is within spec doesn't matter if you rotate the tires or even if one is dumped in the spair tire bin with the proper pressure as long as all 4 sensors are seen and heard from thats all the TPMS system wants to know.

Doesn't work. They won't transmit unless they get spun up. Toss them in the spare and you'll get a light on. I know this because I've rotated my full size spare and it lights up. The only reason I need to get the dealer to reset is so the ECU has the 4 on the car in memory. Having the fifth in the car does no good.

If you rotate 4 tires, as stated by a few people, your dealer/tire monkey is ripping you off if they charge you extra for the reprogram. Odds are, the tire monkey can't reprogram it anyways. Ask them to show you what they are doing when they reset it.

Then tell them that you aren't going to pay a **** dime extra for that, blinker fluid flushes, or any other worthless crap they try and push.

 

[SE95]

Doesn't work. They won't transmit unless they get spun up. Toss them in the spare and you'll get a light on. I know this because I've rotated my full size spare and it lights up. The only reason I need to get the dealer to reset is so the ECU has the 4 on the car in memory. Having the fifth in the car does no good.

If you rotate 4 tires, as stated by a few people, your dealer/tire monkey is ripping you off if they charge you extra for the reprogram. Odds are, the tire monkey can't reprogram it anyways. Ask them to show you what they are doing when they reset it.

Then tell them that you aren't going to pay a **** dime extra for that, blinker fluid flushes, or any other worthless crap they try and push.

I find this a little bit offensive. Unless you go to Donnie's Discount Retreads, I'm sure wherever you go will be able to reset the TPMS...

Maybe that was true years ago, but TPMS has been mandated on all vehicles for 5 years now... most shops have the proper equipment.

Also I'm sure Walmart uses a torque wrench, too much liability if they don't.

 

[signage]

It is likely they will charge you either way, the shop has to make sure the system is working when the vehicle leaves, per federal law.

Just do it yourself and save all of the money.

This is not true, read below!


1. If the customer comes in with a malfunctioning sensor that cannot be immediately replaced, can the shop temporarily replace it with a snap-in valve stem and return the car to service?
According to NHTSA, "a motor vehicle repair business would not be violating 49 USC 30122(b) by removing an inoperative or damaged TPMS sensor and replacing it with a standard snap-in rubber valve stem.”
"This is exactly why our training programs have always stressed the importance of checking the status of the TPMS prior to service," said Kevin Rohlwing, TIA senior vice president of Training. "If a valve stem sensor is not functioning prior to servicing the tires and wheels, then the retailer cannot violate the "make inoperative" provision because the system was already inoperative. This increases the importance of documenting an inoperable TPMS prior to any work being performed on the vehicle, especially now that the batteries in the sensors are starting to die." This is pretty straightforward; if the sensor is already malfunctioning when the car comes in, the shop can do what is necessary to keep the car running. However, there are some further questions as to what exactly constitutes “inoperative” when the customer comes in. I'll address that further below.

 

[kpk02]

This is not true, read below!

In the case of a vehicle that comes in with something not working, that is correct. But in the case of coming in with a fully functional system, they can't do anything that would cause the vehicle to leave with the system not fully functional. At least based on how I'm reading the legislation, if your TPMS is working when you come in and work is done that would cause any need to reprogram the sensors they would need to reprogram them before you take the car back. How would a tire shop know whether a TPMS is working or not considering how long it takes for the light to light up, I don't know.

But I can bring up an example to add to the mess. When I got my winter wheels/tires put on in November (with new sensors), the tire shop said that they couldn't program the new sensors and that the dealer would need to. So technically my car arrived with working TPMS and left with new wheels and sensors not yet programmed, but the TPMS light wasn't on yet. The light didn't pop on until almost a week later. Maybe they were taking a risk.. or maybe they considered it covered because they informed me of the fact that the sensors were not yet active and I agreed to have the dealer do it. It's a small town so who knows.. but I have to imagine they are aware of the new legislation in effect now.

That tire shop normally can program tpms on any vehicle I've brought to them so I don't know why they couldn't do it on my '13 outback. The manager said it's a problem they've had with a variety of Subaru models. Maybe something changed and they would need to buy new equipment to do it.