RIP LTPWS sensor; all removed - no error light

[ram_g]

Some days ago my Service LTPWS error light came on with the error code for the right rear tire; at about the same time I began to feel a strong vibration at any speed above 60 mph. There was no unusual noise.

I took it in to the local Discount Tire and had them unmount the right rear tire. The ziploc bag in the picture contains the remnants of the sensor as found. I had them dismount all the other tires and remove the other three sensors as well. All of those look to be in good shape.

https://www.zr1.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=477&pictureid=4491

When the LTPWS light came on and the vibration started, it had been about a week since I had had new Nittos installed at the same tire store. Given the proximity of events my guess is that they damaged the sensor when replacing the tire. But it didn't show up for a week, during which time I had made several highway-speed runs. I'm just happy that I caught it before it did any worse damage.

With all sensors removed, there is no LTPWS warning light any more (my car is a 1991). I'm happy about that too.

[Ccmano]

Good call. As far as I'm concerned those things are useless ancient technology that becomes dangerous when they eventually come apart. Anytime you change tires you have to coach the installers any pray they don't damage the sensors. Unless your into NCRS they have little value. I've taken them out both of the cars I've owned.
H
:cheers:

[G8nightman]

Yea on the earlier car once sensors are removed the light stays off


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[Prez1967]

What happens to later cars? I have a '94. No light on dash but dont "need" them as I check tire pressures pretty regularly.

[Subfixer]

I had to remove the bulb on my 92 without TPWS sensors.

[BigJohn]

I have removed the light bulbs in my 95 and 96 after removal of tire pressure sensors

[GOLDCYLON]

Yea on the earlier car once sensors are removed the light stays off


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ONLY the MY 90 and 91s

[GOLDCYLON]

Some days ago my Service LTPWS error light came on with the error code for the right rear tire; at about the same time I began to feel a strong vibration at any speed above 60 mph. There was no unusual noise.

I took it in to the local Discount Tire and had them unmount the right rear tire. The ziploc bag in the picture contains the remnants of the sensor as found. I had them dismount all the other tires and remove the other three sensors as well. All of those look to be in good shape.

https://www.zr1.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=477&pictureid=4491

When the LTPWS light came on and the vibration started, it had been about a week since I had had new Nittos installed at the same tire store. Given the proximity of events my guess is that they damaged the sensor when replacing the tire. But it didn't show up for a week, during which time I had made several highway-speed runs. I'm just happy that I caught it before it did any worse damage.

With all sensors removed, there is no LTPWS warning light any more (my car is a 1991). I'm happy about that too.

That looks too clean for a sensor that broke away. Its more likely Discount Tire broke it when they broke the bead on the tire and rim with the breakdown machine. If it had separated and broke away with would have been destroyed with the rotation. There is NONE of that damage pictured.

[ram_g]

That looks too clean for a sensor that broke away. Its more likely Discount Tire broke it when they broke the bead on the tire and rim with the breakdown machine. If it had separated and broke away with would have been destroyed with the rotation. There is NON of that damage pictured.

Who knows.

Facts/sequence:
- Discount Tire broke the bead on the original (29 year old) tires and mounted new Nittos in their place. I had instructed them to be careful with where they broke the bead and AFAIK they did take care.
- For several days afterwards there was no problem and no LTPWS light.
- Then the Service LTPWS light came on and vibrations started. The code indicated the right rear.
- Discount Tire broke all the beads again to remove the sensors.
- 3 of the 4 sensors were fine, the right rear looked like this.

So could they have damaged the right rear sensor in such a way that there was a delayed action problem? Sure, I guess. But being p.o.'d with them is hardly any point because there's nothing they can do about it and I feel like I'm better off without the sensors anyway.

[GOLDCYLON]

Who knows.

Facts/sequence:
- Discount Tire broke the bead on the original (29 year old) tires and mounted new Nittos in their place. I had instructed them to be careful with where they broke the bead and AFAIK they did take care.
- For several days afterwards there was no problem and no LTPWS light.
- Then the Service LTPWS light came on and vibrations started. The code indicated the right rear.
- Discount Tire broke all the beads again to remove the sensors.
- 3 of the 4 sensors were fine, the right rear looked like this.

So could they have damaged the right rear sensor in such a way that there was a delayed action problem? Sure, I guess. But being p.o.'d with them is hardly any point because there's nothing they can do about it and I feel like I'm better off without the sensors anyway.

Welcome to the FORUM. I'm just telling you what happened. These are charged by a Piezo battery its possible one simply died. Usually when these go out its a violent affair and you will notice the carnage inside the tire. I go to Discount all the time but I bring in a demonstration sensor with the band when its time to change the tires. Normally the head is mounted in the center 180 degrees from the valve stem. I dont tell you this to piss you off but to simply tell the story is not at all accurate. Its entirely possible the sensor was partially coming off as the plastic can break but I doubt it looking at this picture. As to not having bands I disagree with your statement but it is hard finding replacement bands... So some folks pull em. GC

[ram_g]

Welcome to the FORUM. I'm just telling you what happened. These are charged by a Piezo battery its possible one simply died. Usually when these go out its a violent affair and you will notice the carnage inside the tire. I go to Discount all the time but I bring in a demonstration sensor with the band when its time to change the tires. Normally the head is mounted in the center 180 degrees from the valve stem. I dont tell you this to piss you off but to simply tell the story is not at all accurate. Its entirely possible the sensor was partially coming off as the plastic can break but I doubt it looking at this picture. As to not having bands I disagree with your statement but it is hard finding replacement bands... So some folks pull em. GC

GC,

Thank you for the welcome and of course let me first acknowledge that what I don't know about the ZR-1 is vastly greater than what I do know, so I am eager to learn.

That said, I must admit that while I am not at all pissed off at your post, I am genuinely puzzled by what you are trying to say. If I interpret your post accurately, you are saying that the pictured sensor could not have broken off inside the tire (because it would have been worse destroyed) but must have separated (as pictured) during the second time that Discount Tire broke the bead on that wheel. That is entirely possible and I have no reason to disagree.

For all the facts to fit, though, that same sensor would have had to quit working between my first and second visits, and coincidentally would have been the same sensor (and only that sensor) destroyed during the second tire dismounting. And also something else would have had to occur during that week to start a tire vibration at speed, that was not evident when I first picked up the car after my first visit (with new tires).

Anything is possible, I suppose...

[DRM500RUBYZR-1]

29 years no problem.
Week after tire change; problem.
Must be a coincidence.

Welcome to the forum!
Better the sensors are out of there.
Be glad the vibration occurred at under 100 mph.
:cheers:
Marty

[GOLDCYLON]

GC,

Thank you for the welcome and of course let me first acknowledge that what I don't know about the ZR-1 is vastly greater than what I do know, so I am eager to learn.

That said, I must admit that while I am not at all pissed off at your post, I am genuinely puzzled by what you are trying to say. If I interpret your post accurately, you are saying that the pictured sensor could not have broken off inside the tire (because it would have been worse destroyed) but must have separated (as pictured) during the second time that Discount Tire broke the bead on that wheel. That is entirely possible and I have no reason to disagree.

For all the facts to fit, though, that same sensor would have had to quit working between my first and second visits, and coincidentally would have been the same sensor (and only that sensor) destroyed during the second tire dismounting. And also something else would have had to occur during that week to start a tire vibration at speed, that was not evident when I first picked up the car after my first visit (with new tires).

Anything is possible, I suppose...


Hmm so the vibration occurred after the first visit to Discount tire ?

[ram_g]

Hmm so the vibration occurred after the first visit to Discount tire ?

Yes, after the first visit. Not immediately, but a few days later. About the same time* as when the the Service LTPWS light came on**.

*Noticed the vibration a day or two after the light came on, but probably because I didn't drive it fast that day.

**No Low Tire Pressure light ever came on. Only the Service LTPWS. Ran the codes using Dynomite's ALDL code reader (basically advanced paper clip method). Code flashed 24, indicating right rear tire.

After the second visit, involving removal of all sensors and re-mounting/re-balancing, there is no light and no vibration.

[WARP TEN]

29 years no problem.
Week after tire change; problem.
Must be a coincidence.

Welcome to the forum!
Better the sensors are out of there.
Be glad the vibration occurred at under 100 mph.
:cheers:
Marty

Coincidence indeed. In the late '90s I got some tires at Sears for my '93. I talked to them about the tire sensors and gave them copies of the factory shop manual pictures of them and the instructions on how to change a tire with them. No help at all. They promised they had a tech experienced with them. When they called they said they had indeed broken one. But they stepped up to the plate, took responsibility for it, got me a new sensor and in the end it all worked out fine. Except for Sears because they claimed that the new sensor cost them $300. Oh well. Couldn't have happened to nicer guys...--Bob

[Black Red '90]

I just dropped my '90 off at a shop yesterday to do an alignment after installing rear lowing bolts. One other issue I asked them to look at was a rattle I hear from inside the RF tire. No warning lights, and the tires are 3 years old, so I assumed the sensor may be loose. If the sensor or mounting strap is damage, can I remove just 1 without triggering a warning light or will all 4 need to be removed at the same time?


Thanks

[Corvette95]

I would be interested in a "to be honest" cheap deal for buying the sensor take off's and bands. Early model.

[ram_g]

Corvette95, I just sent you a PM.

[ram_g]

I just dropped my '90 off at a shop yesterday to do an alignment after installing rear lowing bolts. One other issue I asked them to look at was a rattle I hear from inside the RF tire. No warning lights, and the tires are 3 years old, so I assumed the sensor may be loose. If the sensor or mounting strap is damage, can I remove just 1 without triggering a warning light or will all 4 need to be removed at the same time?


Thanks

Pretty sure all will need to be removed.

[ram_g]

To add a postscript to this episode, today I purchased a set of tires (from that same Discount Tire store) for my wife's Audi SUV and they took $100 off the tab to "make right" the damage to the Corvette sensor. This was the manager's own initiative, I didn't ask for that (he actually edited the online sale I had agreed to and lowered the final price). Sure, they should not have damaged it in the first place, but I'm fine with the way this has ended.

[DRM500RUBYZR-1]

Yes, Very good outcome!
Very fair.
You must have behaved well rather than becoming a PITA.
Glad to hear all are happy.
:cheers:
Marty

[GOLDCYLON]

I just dropped my '90 off at a shop yesterday to do an alignment after installing rear lowing bolts. One other issue I asked them to look at was a rattle I hear from inside the RF tire. No warning lights, and the tires are 3 years old, so I assumed the sensor may be loose. If the sensor or mounting strap is damage, can I remove just 1 without triggering a warning light or will all 4 need to be removed at the same time?


Thanks

All four need to be removed this is for the 90 and 91 only

[ram_g]

AND - today, some 200-250 miles after the bands were removed - my Service LTPWS light comes on. :censored:

I haven't yet checked to see what the code is and whether it goes away on the next start.

For now I'm thinking that maybe it is temperamental on the '91s and only guaranteed to stay off on the '90s. Crap...

[G8nightman]

My 91 stayed off after removal same for my 90


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[GOLDCYLON]

AND - today, some 200-250 miles after the bands were removed - my Service LTPWS light comes on. :censored:

I haven't yet checked to see what the code is and whether it goes away on the next start.

For now I'm thinking that maybe it is temperamental on the '91s and only guaranteed to stay off on the '90s. Crap...


Remove the bulb from the back side of the DIC and be done with it