Maybe someone could help me. I am buying a 2016 WRX and I am buying different wheels and tires and I know switching can be an issue with the tpms system. I was hoping someone could help with the best way to proceed. Do I get clone-able sensors? Do I not worry about it, and just buy new sensors and a tool to tell the computer I have the winter tires on? The last thing I'd like to have to do is go back every 6 months to have discount tire or whoever reprogram my tires. I own an ATEQ tool already. Does that work with two cars (a 16 and a 13) at the same time?
The real question, will having your little orange light on really bother you that much? My last wrx was only sold to me with aftermarket wheels and he never installed tpms on those wheels. At first it bothered me, the whole light thing.. But after a week I just got used to it being on. As someone who is regularly working on their car, I check my tires often so I just didn't really worry about it.
It's in my nature to listen to the systems that are talking to me. I had to drive my nephew's car to help him out one day and every available light was on. That told me he could care less what any system was saying. I fix whatever it is on my own, but pay attention to the light.recgtify On the other hand, that is very cost effective. What I mean is, to rectify the light, how should I proceed? Again, I do it myself and don't care to depend on a tire tech or shop that will reset it for me.
I went around & around with this before buying wheels & tires at Tire Rack for my 2016 STI, I was told there isn't clone-able sensors. I ended up getting them without the sensors. I have heard some people cover up the light with tape but it has not bothered me at all. I don't think my wife ever even noticed its there (that concerns me a little that she doesn't see warning lights!)
I believe I just answered my own question. I have an "ATEQ quickset" tool. It can handle up to 4 cars. Now I just need tmps sensors that are inexpensive and compatible with Subaru.
Where are you getting the wheels/tires? Tire Rack would have put the sensors on when I bought them but they were an extra $180 or so, that plus the cost of the tool is what discouraged me.
I have not yet bought tires. I will likely buy from Tire Rack. It will be snows and possibly Blizzaks. I will use the summer tires on the new rims, though. That will be the factory tires on new rims. The new rims are on the way, and that is from onlinewheelsdirect.com. I bought 18x8.5 Enkei Raijin Gunmetal. I am hoping for a spring time closeout on some.
That price is not set in stone. you can negotiate with them on it they have a ton of room to move on the sensors. Think i paid $90 installed for all 4 of mine on the brz
This is the exact color of WRX, version of wheels and color of wheels. The only thing missing is dark tint.
1. Yes, make sure your new wheels/tires have the TPMS sensors. Tire rack sells them and will mount them on your wheels, along with the tires, if you buy a package. I've also bought the TPMS sensors on Amazon. I believe Amazon has some of the best prices, and I can confirm that these work on a 2011 Outback. Should be the same for the 2016 WRX. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYZQ8E?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00 2. Sounds like you can use your tool to program them - great. It doesn't really matter how many vehicles the programmer can handle. It can probably save the codes in the memory for 4 different vehicles which is convenient; however if you were to do a 5th, you'd have to go around and scan all of the wheels again. Every time I've borrowed a tool to reprogram my sensors, I've had to scan all of the wheels. Really isn't a big deal, and goes quick. 3. Don't be alarmed if your TPMS light does not go off right away after reprogramming them. There is some stupid subaru programming where you have to drive above a certain speed for a certain amount of time before it reads the sensors. 4. Be mindful of where you store the extra sets of wheels. When I have the FRS out, I keep my extra stock wheels (with TPMS) in the garage when I use my summer wheels (no TPMS). Whenever I park in the garage, it picks up the TPMS sensors from the nearby wheels, and the car doesn't realize it until I drive away for at least 20 minutes...and then the TPMS light comes on. Now that I type this out....as long as your current TPMS/wheels are programmed to the car, it shouldn't pick up any others. Doh! Never mind this tip on where to store the wheels!
That sucks. Discount tire was not at all interested in moving on the price of mine for the crosstrek when I got them installed this fall.
They say they cant but you raise enough of a stink about it with the manager they will move. Worst thing they fear at discount it seems is losing a customer and a bad internet review is what ive found.
All this $h!t because of the dumb a$$e$ that don't know a tire gauge from a dildo and then Explorers start turning upside down. Stupid people deserve to die.
No, it appears to be that we must protect them from themselves! GL Chris! Can't wait to see the 2016! When do you take delivery on it?
A tpms system that can tell you the pressure of each tire from inside the vehicle is pretty nice. The 07 Silverado I had before the Subaru did that. I still kept an eye on the tire pressure myself, but when one developed a slow leak it was nice to be notified front left tire low. On the other hand, having a light that turns on and I have to go see which tire it is is pretty useless, I'll agree.
So, on both of our Subaru's we do this... TPMS in the stock rims with snow tires. No TMPS in aftermarket rims with all-seasons or summer tires. The reason being that for every 10 degree change (lower) there is a 1 psi drop in pressure in the tire. So it makes sense to have the TMPS in the snow tires and deal with the light in the summer. Even my wife gets used to the light after a few times in the car after wheel swap. There is less pressure change in the summer than in the winter. Plus I'd rather have the notification in the dead of winter than in the middle of summer. It's easier to check when it's over 60 degrees.
It is quite annoying that many entry-level cars show tire pressure per wheel, whereas with Subaru, we get a light. Yay! The change in pressure goes both ways with temperature. If the temp goes up, so does the tire pressure. Outdoor temperatures vary in the summer just as much as the winter, if not more. But you're right, it is easier to check pressures when it is 60 vs 0! Honestly, TPMS light or not, the best thing to do is to check your tire pressures on a regular basis. If the light is on, it is probably too late (aka, super low or very over inflated).
I think I read somewhere that the system is supposed to issue a warning once the tire pressure drops more than 10 percent below the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure for said vehicle (the 10 percent deviation being mandated by the government regulation for these systems). But I have no idea how a given sensor knows what pressure it should signal at (depending on what vehicle it is installed on). Does the sensor send the exact PSI to the car and the car's computer then either displays the numeric value or sets a fault light, depending on the particular system? Or do the sensors have two-way communication capability and when they are programmed to a particular car, are they "told" at what PSI they need to send a signal at? I don't have any experience with Subaru's system, but we have two Ford's with it and I hate them both - so much illogic and inconsistency at play with how they work. Since the batteries in the sensors have a limited life and we don't put a ton of miles on the cars, I elected to install new sensors in the snow tires rather than used ones. I hate it when $h!t doesn't work like it is supposed to (such as a low tire light being illuminated on the dash for 6 months out of the year). And you know when that wanring bulb burns out sooner than it should you are not gonna tear the cluster apart to replace it.
Josh, I should be getting it on March 9th, at this point. I already have the wheels, the sensors ordered, Rally Armors and weather techs! Thinking about exhaust, and a sound system for it. O+ has one, but every time I look, it's sold out! I am hoping for an off season close out on snows.
