TPMS on spare?

Discussion on wheel & tire issues
LA9C1
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:36 pm
Location: Los Angeles

TPMS on spare?

Post by LA9C1 »

Hi all,

Noob question. I recently got a flat on my rear left. Threw on the spare and the TPMS isn't working. Is there a TPMS on the spare or do I just need to reset?


Thanks!
SBRMD
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:29 pm

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by SBRMD »

I'm running my orig spare right now and it has TPMS; you have to reprogram. Also, if not yet reprogrammed, the car can still be sensing the one that "was" on the car if it's in the trunk. Ask me how I know that.....
Steve Robin
Minneapolis, MN
'11 PPV 9C3 Phantom Black Metallic
9C1fanatic
Posts: 430
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 8:58 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by 9C1fanatic »

The spare is supposed to have a sensor but the 30 or so cars I have seen with the full size option do not. The valve stem will look different
Garner Ames



1975 Pontiac Grand Am L77 - 14.82 @ 92.89
1991 Chevrolet C1500 L31 Vortec/5 Speed
2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 LM7
2014 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 L77 - 13.60 @ 105.87
2019 Chevrolet Express 3500 L96
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elc32955
System Manager
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Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by elc32955 »

And... even if you do have a TPMS on the spare, depending on how old it is the battery might be toast anyway. All four of the OEM TPMS died on my car, one after another. I'm running aftermarkets now and they're working fine.
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
CrashTestDummy
Posts: 2300
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by CrashTestDummy »

Those stupid things have their own batteries?!? That's some FAIL technology right there. Damn!
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
Do YOU have my SPID?
Navy Lifer
Administration Staff
Posts: 1724
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:30 pm
Location: Canton GA

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by Navy Lifer »

9C1fanatic wrote:The spare is supposed to have a sensor but the 30 or so cars I have seen with the full size option do not. The valve stem will look different
Just for clarification, are you referring to "30 or so" PPV's, or a random mix of brands & models? All PPV's have full-size spare and a TPMS sensor on the spare at delivery.

Owner's manual (quote) - 2012 manual:

The full-size spare includes a TPMS
sensor. The TPMS will not monitor
or display the spare tire air pressure
until the tire/wheel is installed at one
of the four tire/wheel positions on
the vehicle. Once installed, the
spare tire sensor code must be
matched to the new position on the
vehicle. See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑55 for
information about matching the
spare tire to the TPMS.
elc32955 wrote:And... even if you do have a TPMS on the spare, depending on how old it is the battery might be toast anyway. All four of the OEM TPMS died on my car, one after another. I'm running aftermarkets now and they're working fine.
I've not had that experience (yet)....supposedly sensors are good for 5 to 7 years as far as battery life, so spread the cost per position based on life-span, and they're "reasonable" for the information provided--there is probably better technology that can give more info, like temperature (not sure if Corvette does this already). When I added the first set of alloy wheels, I bought 4 new (GM) sensors--unless I'm missing your point, I don't think there's anything to suggest that OEM-supplied sensors are any less reliable than aftermarket, as GM doesn't make their own. Pretty sure what is on the PPV is supplied by Schrader--at least the aluminum valve stem and dust cap are, for sure.
CrashTestDummy wrote:Those stupid things have their own batteries?!? That's some FAIL technology right there. Damn!
Remember, it's a government-mandated system. The requirement aside, just like any other "system", something has to make it work, and with radio-frequency technology, a power source to broadcast the individual sensor info is part of it.

Thank the nanny state, where "we" are no longer held responsible for simple tasks like regularly checking tire pressures with a gauge. The replacement cost of sensors is in the $35-$40 range per sensor, last I checked--that buys quite a few tire gauges!

The best thing I ever did was go to my dealer tech and have him adjust the low pressure alarm setpoint down to 30 PSI.

http://newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... t=20#p2855" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This did away with the nuisance alarms that typically start once colder temps lower the baseline pressure before I get around to adjusting actual cold pressures for the seasonal conditions.

I run 36 PSI on all 4 wheels, per the owner's manual, which spells that out when the car is not being used for full-load and/or high speed purposes.


Quoting from 2012 Owner's Manual (found online at New Caprice links)
http://www.newcaprice.com/files.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Page 10-53:

For continuous high-speed
driving or when driving with more
than three occupants and 45 kg
(100 lbs) of cargo weight, set the
cold tire inflation pressure to the
recommended pressure shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
label.

When not driving at
continuous high speeds or with
up to three occupants and 45 kg
(100 lbs) of cargo, adjust the front
and rear cold tire inflation pressure
to 36 psi
(250 kPa).


High speed for this situation is defined as 100 MPH and higher, per the owners manual.
Navy Lifer
Administration Staff
Posts: 1724
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Location: Canton GA

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by Navy Lifer »

Other relevant TPMS discussion threads:

(SS Forum)
http://www.ssforums.com/forum/wheels-ti ... -tpms.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(New Caprice Forum)
http://newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=397" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
CrashTestDummy
Posts: 2300
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by CrashTestDummy »

Navy Lifer wrote:<SNIP>
Thank the nanny state, where "we" are no longer held responsible for simple tasks like regularly checking tire pressures with a gauge. The replacement cost of sensors is in the $35-$40 range per sensor, last I checked--that buys quite a few tire gauges!

The best thing I ever did was go to my dealer tech and have him adjust the low pressure alarm setpoint down to 30 PSI.

http://newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... t=20#p2855" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This did away with the nuisance alarms that typically start once colder temps lower the baseline pressure before I get around to adjusting actual cold pressures for the seasonal conditions.

I run 36 PSI on all 4 wheels, per the owner's manual, which spells that out when the car is not being used for full-load and/or high speed purposes.


Quoting from 2012 Owner's Manual (found online at New Caprice links)
http://www.newcaprice.com/files.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Page 10-53:

For continuous high-speed
driving or when driving with more
than three occupants and 45 kg
(100 lbs) of cargo weight, set the
cold tire inflation pressure to the
recommended pressure shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
label.

When not driving at
continuous high speeds or with
up to three occupants and 45 kg
(100 lbs) of cargo, adjust the front
and rear cold tire inflation pressure
to 36 psi
(250 kPa).


High speed for this situation is defined as 100 MPH and higher, per the owners manual.
Or one REALLY nice tire gauge:

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... RecID=2834

Heh, when we took the Caprice to the last autocross event, it was actually pretty cool out, and my tire alert went off on the tollway. One tire was at 34 freakin' pounds!! Funny thing was that it stayed cool barreling down the tollway at 70+, then heated up when I was on the surface roads at about 40, with turns and stops. We added air at the event so it would stop that stupidity. It's nice to know you can reprogram that, I'll add that to the list of things to do.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
Do YOU have my SPID?
9C1fanatic
Posts: 430
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 8:58 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by 9C1fanatic »

I'm speaking specifically to the 2014s and 2015s we have in our fleet. All of them were ordered with the Full Size spare option (Option SG8). Right in the municipal guide it says includes TPMS but needs programming. That said, in 2014 re received 10 cars, all of them with a compact donut spare under the trunk floor and a full size spare loose in the trunk. Both spares had standard rubber valve stems in all cars leading me to believe the dealer's stock consisted of PPVs without the full size spare option and they ordered a bunch of wheels and tires to make the full size spares to meet our minimum spec but forgot about the TPMS. These were also the cars that were ordered with the aux battery but none of the cars would charge the aux battery on delivery due to BCM programming not reflecting the aux battery option. After a BCM flash, all was fine. All of these cars came from dealer inventory stateside.

My personally owned 2014 Caprice was also purchased from dealer inventory so I was unable to pick its options. It only came with a compact spare and no TPMS.

This year we got 20 2015 PPVs and most of them came with full size spare with TPMS. A few came with full size spares without TPMS. Most of the cars shipped directly from Australia with a few cars being picked from the holding inventory in California at the port. We got our orders in late this year and ordered three additional cars later in the year due to a natural disaster we had here that damaged some cars. We always spec the full size spare.
Garner Ames



1975 Pontiac Grand Am L77 - 14.82 @ 92.89
1991 Chevrolet C1500 L31 Vortec/5 Speed
2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 LM7
2014 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 L77 - 13.60 @ 105.87
2019 Chevrolet Express 3500 L96
smwalker
Administration Staff
Posts: 2201
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:44 am
Location: Azusa,CA

Re: TPMS on spare?

Post by smwalker »

So Garner you are basing your conclusion of TPMS presence solely on the fact of Metal valve stem vs. Rubber correct?

There are TPMS sensor set ups that have rubber valve stems.

Or did you scan the tire with a TPMS tool to verify?
Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
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