Cost to swap TPMS

For those who have changed wheels and swapped their TPMS sensors - can you comment on where you got it done affordably?

I just called a local tire ship - they want $18/wheel to take them out of the old wheels (and rebalance with rubber stems) and $18/wheel to put them in the new wheels (and rebalance).

This will be a total of almost $160 to swap them from one set to another, and that's without any programming.

My local Toyota dealer was also close in price - $78 for the set x 2 sets.

I guess it's been a while since I bought tires, I didn't know the work had gotten so expensive. I can remember the days of having a leaking valve stem replaced for free or mounting/balancing "included" in a tire purchase...

 

I went to big brand and they quoted me about $160 with programming. Then again, if you don't mind the dash light it might be worth keeping the money. Thankfully it doesn't have a beep with the warning light! There's also mod or two to disable the light from appearing on the dash

 

The problem is that they are very delicate and can break the moment you pop the bead off the tire. If they break, they just ate a TPMS sensor which is easily $38-50 for one, aftermarket at that! Lets not mention they have to reprogram the TPMS system after to work in harmony with the sensor after in order to keep from triggering the light again. I think that's actually a fairly reasonable price all things considered. Working with TPMS systems is a very risky thing.

 

No programming needed, it's my original TPMS sensors going from one set of Toyota alloys to another. The vehicle already recognizes them, just need to have them in the right wheels.

 

when I traded in my 2011 for my 2012 I told them I would not do it unless I could swap over the wheels. Long story short I had to drive 3 hours away to pick up the truck and after all paperwork and everything was done they took my truck back to swap over the wheels. They charged me $250 to swap em over and reprogram everything and I was furious because we had agreed on the out the door price and all paperwork and everything was done. Very shady dealership for doing that but I paid because I was ready to go home.

 

How old are your sensors? They have batteries in them and when they go out, you have to buy new sensors. So lame! If they are old, consider buying new ones.

If you keep and just swap the sensors to new wheels, discount tire charges like $4 to swap. The cost is for a 'rebulid kit'. You can buy the kits yourself.

 

Oh then that's not a problem. That's what I did for my Toyota rim swap to Level 8's. They sit at a different degree in the rim, about 37-40 degrees. That usually is not a problem though. I know it was not for mine.

Considering that TPMS usually takes 4-5+ (notice the plus as they are more than likely capable of living longer than that amount of time) years before you have to replace them, that beats the hell out of standard valve stems. They are mounted more solidly onto the rim which eliminates the possibility of the rubber deteriorating over time much like standard valve stems do.

As far as "rebuild kits" are concerned. I believe those were created more as a legal satisfaction rather than a scam. However, due to the fact that the prices for a full "rebuild" on all 4 corners of those vary wildly, this is where the scam to make additional comes into play. If prices everywhere were a bit more standardized to "rebuild" all 4 then it would be a fair medium. Then again on the flip side, the fact that shops can charge whatever they would like for that falls under the "competitive pricing" category.

If they charge a lot and you are willing to pay for it, then you might as well ask for the free upgrade to a king sized tub of vaseline.

 

I had not considered the increased durability of the valve stems, so that's good to know.

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I completely agree. TPMS rebuild kits are literally $4, to pay more is ridiculous. I suspect that with respect to pricing, tire shops are probably lumping labor into the cost for the consumer to move the sensors.

Here is what Discount tire says about the TPMS sensor rebuilt kits.

"Rebuilding the valve portion of the TPMS sensor insures an air tight seal and reduces the chance of early sensor replacement due to wear and corrosion of the components exposed to the environment. Our TPMS Rebuild Kits contain all the necessary components for replacement." --Discount Tire.



My sensors are (6) years old and still working. I wish I could know the battery life, because I'm about to get new tires and if I just roll with them, chances are I'm gonna have a dead battery pretty soon which of course means downtime to dismount the tire and put in new sensors, a PITA. New Toyota sensors can be had for $59 each online. But then the cost to reprogram the computer!

 

The problem with the tire industry is that due to the fact that everyone needs them, they have become a commodity. There isn't a whole lot of money being made on these jobs and they are very labor intensive. The problem compounds with oversized tires and low profile tires and rims as well.

I could understand why they want to charge as much as they do for a "rebuild kit." I honestly do, but that being said it should be offered as an option and not force fed down the end customers throat. I get it ok, there are rubber components in the stems still that are exposed to the moisture that compressed air has so they can indeed deteriorate over time, however, the valve stems do not move when you inflate them with air like traditional all rubber valve stems do, so the chances of that rubber deteriorating due to flex over time is less severe then traditional. Their "service life" per se is extended as the sensor is affixed and is not dismounted until time for a tire swap out occurs.

Like I said. There should be options, and it should be optional with a waiver that you have to sign in order to keep things legal and you as the end consumer not going after them for not rebuilding your cores as you requested.

As far as your TPMS dilemna goes, I would run them and if they go out its as simple as removing the rims from the truck, popping the bead and swapping it out for a new one where the TPMS sensor is located. Reseat the bead and inflate with air to spec. No rebalance is necessary because the tires position on the rim was never rotated based on where the weights were stuck on. Then reprogram the sensor (s) and you are done.

BTW new aftermarket sensors made by VDO can be had for $36 with tax or less. VDO is actually a great company and I wouldn'tbe surprised if they are the ones whk designed the OE sensors for all of the brands. I broke two of mine on a recent tire swap out accidentally. Replaced them out with the VDO ones and reprogrammed them to work with the TPMS system. Not a peep out of them and actually are smaller than the stock ones.

 

OP back, I did get the sensors removed from a local tire shop for $20 total. Sadly, I got what I paid for - despite asking repeatedly for them to take care of the wheels, two came back with significant scratches that didn't exist when I dropped them off (they were mint). I was real disappointed with the shop manager's pushback when I pointed out the damage. If I could only find a way to mount/balance my own tires and align my front end, I could be completely self sufficient and avoid the hacks who just don't give a shit about detail.

I had the Toyota dealer put them in to my new wheels at a cost of $70, which included re-balancing and moving the weights from the outside to the inside of the rim. I did not rebuild them because they're only 2 years old. I've had these sensors routinely go 7-8 years without issue (and probably went longer, but I sold the vehicles).

Thanks all!

 

I plan on getting new tires and wheels either this year or next. I figured with spending $1800 what's another $150 for new sensors? It seems pretty comparable to the costs of swapping from old to new.

 

As mentioned above, discount tire charged me $16 mount/balance per wheel and $4 tpms rebuild per wheel to swap my existing tires on to new wheels that I brought in. Some of the prices mentioned above for simply moving tpms to new wheels seem a bit spendy, unless I'm reading it wrong and it includes the mount and balance as well.

 

Batteries on TPMS!? My 2012 Tacoma still has the original and I never had issues with them. Can somebody confirm this? I may need some tires soon and want to know if I need to do anything with my TPMS. Thanks.