TPMS Battery Died After Tire Change? Meineke Screwing Me?

Not unless the batteries are dead or they’re not working.

 

All TPMS does is detect over/under pressure and usually, it’s a percentage so if the shop filled the new tires to a higher pressure, it’ll flash.

 

If you broke it with a tire machine, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t work. That’s what I was referring to.

 

No. They don't routinely replace the sensors unless they are defective. They do usually install a soft parts kit ( o-rings and seals ) if they are a good tire shop. That is what you probably saw on your invoice.

 

That's what I am saying.... Could be the issue. Over inflated tires.

 

I think you're getting the run-around. I've never heard that before and have never had that happen in 4-5 tire changes. They most likely damaged a sensor upon install.

 

I think your problem is that when they put your rims back on they didn’t go back in their correct locations. The computer needs to know where the ID code for each TPMS sensor is. When I rotate or change to the winter rims I have to use a ATI programmer to tell the computer where each sensor is.
Best to go someplace and get them to use a tool to read each sensor at the wheel. If one doesn’t read then you have a dead sensor, it either died or the tech damaged it when they did your tires. Use to work at a tire place as a service advisor, techs used to screw them up all the time. Most wouldn’t say anything about them as the company took the damage out of their pay if the got caught, and a lot would bag it off as a dead battery to get out of paying.

 

More likely they broke the sensor mounting the tires, contact corp if they wont honor their work.

 

The truck doesn’t care where the wheels are located. They can be in the bed and the light will go out. They can even be laying on the ground 20’ away from the truck. When I had some tires swapped on my wheels, the light went out as soon as I drove into the parking lot of the tire shop.

 

Yep... I broke it mounting a tire with my Coates tire machine.

The sensor is mounted to the bottom of the valve stem, but the valve stem is not an integral part of the sensor. If you break the sensor off the bottom of the stem, it does not affect the stem at all.

-Bear

 

TPMS won't flash unless they are dead, they will just stay on steady if over/under inflated.

 

On a 10 year old truck I'd have bought new sensors before buying tires and had the tire shop install them when they mounted tires. You can get new sensors for $15-$20 each and there is no charge to install them at the same time your tires are being mounted. If they have to break down your tire and install them now it will be another $10-$15 per tire to have them installed. Even if they damaged them you were lucky to get 10 years out of them. I wouldn't worry about it. Buy some new sensors and they may give you a price break on installing them since there is a "possibility" they damaged the original ones.

I can't explain why, but the sensors are still working on my 13 year old truck, but I know they will go out anytime. I got 9 years on the set on my Honda. The warning light is on in the Honda, but I'm planning on selling it in a few months so I won't worry about it.

And I would replace them as soon as practical. TPMS is not nearly the problem some try to make it out to be. I've never had a negative issue. I've had to replace worn out sensors in the past on older vehicles and the $50-$75 every 10 years is cheap insurance.

That works out to about the cost of a McDonalds burger once a year to have a warning light that will let you know if you have a rapid deflation while driving 70 mph. And that is their purpose. They are not intended to replace an air pressure gauge. Twice since 2011 I've ran over debris in the road resulting in rather large holes in tires. The warning light coming on gave me a few seconds to slow down and get to the shoulder of the road rather than have a deflated tire come apart at 70.

 

At the shop now. They said they’re busy so I have to leave it here. I won’t be able to see when they take the tires off unfortunately.

Regarding the inflation, they did over inflate the tires. They all were at around 46psi. But my light flashes for about a minute or so when I turn it on and then goes steady. The dealer said the flashing means there’s a malfunction. A steady light means the pressure is wrong. I set them back to 30psi as it shows on the door and still same flashing.

 

That is not possible. They probably broke a sensor while either dismounting or mounting the tires.

 

and they sell tires? They should know better or quit selling them.

 

Dam 46psi isn't even close to 30. Sounds like the shop doesn't pay attention to details. Good luck.

 

Hope so and I just hope they are honest enough to show me a broken sensor when they take the tires off.

 

Got the call from the shop and they said they can’t connect to the TPMS module to read what’s going on with the sensors. He says it’s showing no connection. He says to go to the dealer and have them see what’s up with the module and see if they can read any tire sensors.

I don’t really know what this all means. Since they originally over filled the tires did that cause the module to freak out and become unresponsive? Not sure what to do now. I could bring it to the dealer but then I’m now in for more money for diagnosis.

 

Since there 10 yrs old they have served you well. You should replace all 4 and not throw any money at trying to get the old ones working again.

 

Go to Discount Tire. Have them wave their magic wand by the wheels. Going to a muffler shop for tires is like going to a sushi restaurant and ordering a ribeye.