Is there a way to defeat the tire pressure sensors for winter tires?
 

I just swapped over to winter tires and wheels. The tire sensor lights is going off as the winter set do not have sensors.

Is there a way to reset or defeat the sensors temporarily? No big deal, but a minor annoyance.

I have had a fun time with my sensors..bottom line..they are twitchy buggers...best thing you can do is make sure they are ballanced and inflated to the right PSI. The sensors hate cold weather so I am looking forward to good times in the winter from them....

Since your probelm stems from not actually having sensors in the wheels, inflating them properly will do little to help with the blinking light.

I am planning on deftly placed electrical tape over the light on the dash. After that you might try pulling fuses, but idiot lights are almost always on the same circuit as something that you might not like to lose . . . like say the ignition system or the starter motor.

Electrical tape . . .ummm, it's black, it's opaque, it's good!

... it leaves a gooey mess behind when you remove it. :(

Couldn't you take the stems out of your summer wheels and stick em in your winter ones? Then you can actaully take advantage of the TPMS?

I don't think you can easily just put them in another rim, that would be too easy! ;) My guess would be to pull the fuse, check the manual and see if there are other things on the same fuse. Good luck!

Not that I've been able to find. Check the Wheels, Tires and Suspension forum https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-55/
for discussions on this if you're interested.

I presume your Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light is constantly flashing. If so, does it start flashing as soon as you start the car or after driving for a while?

regards,
rx8cited

My perfect solution were Dunlop M92 225/40/18 Winter tires bought on eBay for $380.00 for the set. These work great, fit the existing rims, and no problems with the pressure sensors. Last time I looked there were others available on eBay. There are some legal issues with the tire sensors being removed after November 1st of this year. Surely no cop is going to stop you for the removal of the sensors but there may be insurance issues if an accident is determined to be related to your non-sensored wheels. For whatever its worth...

I switched over to the Dunlop Wintersport M3 225/45/17's with Sport Edition Fox 2's rims this past weekend (all from tirerack.com). I can't figure out why -- but my tire pressure warning light has never come on since I switched :confused: I was expecting to have to put up with the warning light all Winter. I know the sensors were working because I got the warning light several times when my pressure was a little low on the stock tires/rims.

That's what God invented Naptha for :) . . . to clean off adhesive, however, there is a risk that the adhesive will permanently mar the plastic of the gauge face.

Thanks for bringing that up. I should have mentioned it before as this might be an issue for him. I just don't see any way around this problem yet though. I have been unable to find any fuse fix myself although I have done little analysis of that, and I have yet to read anyone else on the Tech section who has figured it out. Most guys I have read are just planning to put up with it. Our government at work again.

I ordered my tire/wheel package from Tire Rack today.
I got a call at work several hours later from the CS rep
telling me he called a dealer who informed him he needs
to put TPM's on the tires or there would be a constant
warning beep at all times.
I told him that wasn't true - and cited this forum.

I appreciate all the help I get from forum members-
for the snow tire issue and oil pan issue in particular.

My dealer has been lacking in info about this new car
and the forum has been a fantastic help.

I especially appreciate the advice of Gordon from Canada about
wheels and snow tires.

Thanks Gordon!!

The light comes one pretty quick once the car is started.

I like the electrical tape idea, but I'll use gaffer's tape. It rarely leaves a residue. :)

My experience also is that there rarely is a fuse that will disable a single warning light.

FWIW, I ordered LM22 17" tires/Mille Miglia HT3 17" wheels yesterday from Tire Rack including the tire pressure sensors. They have the sensors in stock ($99) but there is a sleeve ($5) that is also required to mount it on the wheel that has not come in from Mazda yet. ETA December 10th.

Hello. Nice looking wheels :) .

Good to hear that Tire Rack is now handling the tire pressure sensors for those of us who don't want to put up with the flashing light. Too late for me though :( . I bought another set of 18" stock wheels and sensors from Mazda to go with my Dunlop Winter Sport M3s from Tire Rack - when I was ready to order several weeks ago Tire Rack was not willing to install or deal with the sensors.

What's the whole wheel/tire/sensor package from them going to cost you? Mine cost around $2100.

Did you have to request the sensors from Tire Rack via phone/e-mail? I don't see them on the web site.

I wonder if they started supplying the sensors now to comply with the upcoming federal regulations that require sensors?

Happy Thanksgiving,
rx8cited

RXhusker, is your warning light flashing yet?

FYI ... here's what pullinteef experienced after putting new sensorless wheels on

as quoted from [Wheels, Tires and Suspension > Wheels for snow tires]:
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...5&pagenumber=3

Then later he posted this:

so maybe it just a matter of time before your light flashes for you.

Happy Thanksgiving,
rx8cited

TreknMazda

Is that 99$ + 5$ for EACH wheel for the sensors? So, that's $416 MORE for wheels with the sensors? Or am I confused?

It's my understanding that it's about $100 per wheel for each sensor.

$1886 delivered. Lucky for me they didn't have sensors when 18" tires were still available. My preferred wheel in 18" was $309 each! (AT Italia Inox)

I PM'd Connor@tirerack to verify they would not do the sensors. That's when I found out they had the sensors but not the sleeves. You will not find it online yet. You have to order via phone. The tires/wheels are on reserve until the sleeves come in for the sensors. Then they get mounted/balanced/shipped. Just hope snow and ice stays away till they get here;)

FYI folks- 17" whels are also becoming scarce at some tire rack warehouse locations to go with your winter tires unless you don't care how much they cost.:eek: Must be a lot of RX-8s getting winterized:D

Once the sensors/sleeves are readily stocked I'm sure you will hear your tire/wheel salesman say "It's the law, $400 please" :D But seriously, Connor said Mazda was slow getting the sensors (slower still for the sleeves) to market.

Yes, that is correct. It is PER wheel. I knew if I wanted the sensors I was going to pay about a C-note a piece. But the battery lasts 10 years so it's only $10 per year per wheel;):D

Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Enjoy your turkey and trimmings. But I think I am going to grill a steak!

By sleeves you probably mean the nuts that hold the sensors onto the wheels ........ I bought my wheels and sensors from Trussville Mazda and had the tires shipped to them from Tire Rack for mounting and balancing.

I was the first customer they were doing a new wheel/tire/sensor install for and they discovered after the sensors were being installed on the wheels that the darn little $5 nut that holds the sensors onto the wheels is not included with either the stock wheel or the stock sensor, so that caused a several day delay in waiting for the nuts to come in.

Make sure your installer know the nuts do not come with the wheels or sensors. Hope this info might save someone else from the delay.

Happy Thanksgiving,
rx8cited

Well, since your solution was $5 and what's on backorder is $5, and if the planets are properly aligned, it's the same part.:D

Well, since my sensor costs $83 and yours costs $99, if the planets are properly aligned, are they the same part?;)

Sorry, I could not resist ...... it's close to bed time.:)

For those who like the technical details and have not seen the TPMS Service Bulletin which includes a nice overview of the system, enjoy:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...02-002-03.html

They're actually called "wheel unit nuts".

BTW, TreknMazda, how was that grilled steak?

regards,
rx8cited

PS: I just wanted to mention that it was a real pleasure working with Brian over at Trussville Mazda parts department on getting my wheels/sensors ordered and assembled with my tires.

It was so good I had two! Coated them with dry barbeque spices from the Rendevous Restuarant in Memphis, turning twice. For a side I wrapped a potato with onion wedges, dab of butter and some brown sugar in foil and grilled to tenderness.

Thanks for asking.

Hi TreknMazda,
I got hungry just reading about your steaks and fixins!

Looks like we've got snow showers in the 10 day forecast for the DC Metro area for Saturday December 6th. :eek:

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USDC0001

Yikes :eek: possible snow showers for the Dulles Airport area tonight!!! -
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/forecasts/VA...07&city=Dulles

This might be a good time to put on the snow tires for those locals who have not installed them yet and plan on driving their RX-8s this winter.

drive carefully,
rx8cited

I just put mine on... no light until about 15 minutes into the drive

it would be ok if the light would just light up and say there, but no, it starts flashing and annoys the bejesus out of me :mad: