TPMS Sensors (What not to do)

[mwilson]

I have TPMS sensors on two of my vehicles, the 2002 and 2008 Chrysler Town and Countrys.

The plastic valve cover caps were starting to bulge on the '08 this summer as the road treatment chemicals had reacted with the cheapo mystery metal valve stems.

I cleaned the threads, applied a bit of never-seez and put metal valve caps on. Problem solved.

Not.

Had a tire get low last week, wife calls to tell me that the light came on. Told her to swing into the dealer and have them give the tire a shot of air as I was 65 miles away at work.

Dealer calls, tells me that the valve cover caps were frozen (corrosion) and they did not dare to remove them for fear of breaking the stem off.

Crap.....

Told her to run it and I would deal with it when I got home. Well I just barely started to turn the cap with a set of pliers and..........guess what??


Snapped it right off, van goes to the ground like right now.

Double Crap.....


Jack van up, remove tire and sack it to work the next morning. Installed new sensor and brought the tire back home. Did I mention that it was about -15 below BTW??
Put the tire back on, low pressure light still on.

Wrong tire.....that wasn't the one that was low on air..........

Triple Crap...

Took van to work today, ordered 3 more TPMS sensors from Carquest so that I had them all if needed. Took over a tire bay at 5.00pm and had at it.
Broke one more off but saved the other two.

Moral of the story is NO METAL CAPS on a TPMS valve stem.

Mike.

 

[AH64ID]

Sounds like fun!

 

[GCroyle]

Mike,

I've been kinda suprized at how frequently these show up as an aftemarket part. Dorman, Dill and Continental have programs. Also keep the knuclehead with the heavy hands away from the installation process. One of mine got snapped off on my Dill TPMS for the Airstream that way.

Gary

 

[MLee]

Maybe what is needed is FINGER CONDOMS to cover the stem and control the corrosion. Sounds weird I know. But what is the solution to the problem? This could get expensive right?
Mike Meet Mr. Murphy.

 

[Jim W]

Thanks Mike, Murphy's law at work here you know.

When I had my Michelins installed on the truck; I asked if they had metal valve stems for the wheels when they rebuilt the TPMS sensor. Their answer was NO must used the OEM style valve stem and caps on the truck. Now I know why.

Jim W.

 

[mwilson]

The sensors for the van through Carquest are $48.00 or so, that made it a $100.00 lesson this time.

This is going to be an issue wherever road treatment chemicals are in use.

I have always used the metal caps because that is what I was taught years ago. "The valve core is there to assist in setting the correct pressure, but the valve cap is what truly seals the valve stem from leakage."

Mike.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Glad they don't use much of that crap over here Mike..............we just let the roads freeze. :-laf

 

[mwilson]

Glad they don't use much of that crap over here Mike..............we just let the roads freeze. :-laf

We would be better off if the Maine DOT did the same.

Snow is not very slick at below zero temps as you probably already know.