Where is the TPMS mentioned in the Manual? I couldn't find it. I'm reasonably sure my car has it (2006 FEH), since I have the light, and the sticker lists it. It would have been nice if they'd thought to display the pressures in the info system. (The ones that take the info from the ABS really don't work.)

I once got to drive a captured Soviet truck in Vietnam, and it had the pressures in all the wheels displayed on the panel, complete with an underhood pump for pumping them up. So you could come to a muddy spot on the trail, let the air out of the tires and drive through it, then pump them up again and be on your way. All without leaving the cab. Mighty helpful for off-road driving.

Hal

 

The sensors used aren't that accurate. They don't give an absolute reading, just tell you if the pressure is below a set threshold (I think around 26PSI but I'm not sure where I saw that). It is in the manual somewhere, I'll see if I can find it again.

They could put sensors in that communicated the exact pressure, however a threshold is cheaper... all it has to do is ping, no communication protcol so the sensor can be alot dumber (the battery life can also probably be higher).

 

I live in a high construction area and have a 2006 FEH with the TPMS. I've had it trigger twice, and both times I got out and checked the vehicle (visual only) and the tires were visually fine. I only had 5 minute or less drives in both cases so I got home and checked the tires with my digital pressure gauge, and both times I had a tire puncture (different tires -- ugh!) and was indeed losing pressure. I left one overnight because I couldn't get to the shop for a patch, and the tire dropped to 3.5 PSI (down from the 35-40 PSI I keep them at.)

The system's already paid for itself because instead of driving along thinking, "Why is the car handling/sounding/feeling like this?" or a rude awakening upon coming out to the car with a totally FLAT tire (that's let the vehicle sit on the rim overnight), I've been able to catch tire punctures quickly, get the spare on quickly (before the tire's ever let the vehicle sit on the rim, and before I've ever been inclined to drive it further or on the highway w/an unknown developing flat), and take it to service ASAP.

I always do a walkaround visual check of my tires (because of the construction around us), but that system is quite handy. I have a tire pressure gauge (digital) in my vehicle but only check my tire pressures once a month unless one looks low (which they never really do until you find yourself headed for a total flat), more if we're driving a long distance on a trip.

PS: My spare was only at 35 PSI when I first put it on the vehicle. The pressure for the factory (Goodyear Convenience Spare) spare tire should be 60 PSI so if you check your tires regularly, check your spare as well so you will have ample pressure in it if/when you need it. I was lucky in that I changed to my spare at home on both occasions and had access to an air pump. The spare seems to lose pressure faster than the stock Conti EcoPlus tires, btw, so don't skimp and only check the spare once a blue moon... it'll be down to the mid-30s if you do that.

- Shannon, whose finding new routes to drive because 2 punctures in 4 weeks is absurd! (both were tiny nails, one that got wedged perfectly, the other that somehow got bent into a "V" and caused a dual punture. Both, thankfully, well within the middle of the tread -- no sidewall impacts... {KNOCK ON WOOD}

 

Are the sensors inaccurate, or is it Ford that decided to ignore the real time pressure data and opted for the simple dash light? As another poster noted, Nissan has a real time readout. Given that the sensors cost more than $400, one would expect that they could do better than a simple pressure low warning. It would have been nice to have the data available either as part of the nav system (unlikely since it is a glorified after market system) or in the system diagnostic display.

All this cobbling together of aftermarket products (Nav system, tire sensors etc...) really hurts on making a nicely integrated system.

Regards,

rcomeau

 

The system works as intended and serves a useful purpose. Everything else is just window dressing, and increases costs further. It'd be cool if the tires were run-flats. It'd be cool if the tires could be repressurized on the fly, like a Humvee. It'd be cool if we all got a full sized spare Conti Contitrac EcoPlus tire with rim and tire pressure sensor.

Etc.

P.S. Visteon makes the nav system. Visteon is owned by Ford. Not exactly "aftermarket"...

 

Exactly.... The TPS sensors aren't even an option going forward. At some point in the near future they are mandated for all SUV's to prevent low tire pressure blowouts. The sensors handle that issue fine thats all they are there for.

There are alot of things I'd like to monitor more than my tire pressure, they are just an insurance policy.

 

Coincidentally, one of my tires was stabbed by a nail yesteday. The pressure sensor allowed me to notice before the tire got deflated to the point of needing the spare, so I was able to get it fixed without jacking the car on the side of the road.

My earlier point was that with the same equipment but a bit more integration could give a better product in the end. I think they took modular too far. For example, the heated seats have the button on the seat rather than on the dash. Good for Ford (the seat was probably made by a sub) and saves them running a wire but bad for the owner because the button is in a virtually unreachable spot without opening the door. Viteon is owned by Ford, but do you think the FEH designer ever spoke to Visteon? Would it have been that hard to have the tire sensors link to the Nav system to give the info? Technically it would have been easy, but that would have required the left hand to talk to the right hand. Visteon, Gentek ... North American cars are becoming more like home built PCs (motherboard here, CPU there thrown into a box with a unique brand sticker on the front) than truly unique products.

Enough ranting. Liked the low pressure alarm at least.

Now that winter is coming, anyone purchased a second set of sensors for dedicated winter tire rims?

Cheers,

rcomeau

 

I bought a sensor for my full-sized spare, anticipating that I would use it in a five-wheel rotation. You have to buy two parts-the sensor, which is about $60; and the bracket, which runs another $55 or so. Since you're talking ~ another $460 just for the sensors for four wheels, it would probably make more sense just to pay the $10 per tire to have them changed.

I'm planning to get a set of chains for those rare circumstances when the all-weather Contis an my AWD FEH won't cut it here in SW Ohio.

PQ

 

Alright, dumb question...why would someone not install an aftermarket kit...this deal seems too good to be true!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TRUCK...spagenameZWDVW