Hello - I have just ordered winter tires mounted on steel wheels for my M3, and the Tirerack called me to make sure that I was aware that the tire pressure monitoring system would not work with steel rims. He said it was no problem if I did not care if it worked, and I don't really, I will just monitor visually and manually. But I am wondering if anyone has had a problem with this - as far as will my car do anything more annoying than maybe flash a warning light at me telling me the TPMS is not working? Such as a bell going off or something?

In order for the TPMS to work, I would have to get alloy wheels and a sensor for each tire,(the sensors are $112 each!). So I'd rather go without the system for the winter, I just hope there won't be unforseen problems.

Thanks.

 

You'll get a warning light....that's it.

 

how does the tpms sensors connect to the car? if they are in the wheel and the wheel is taken off how are the disconnected or reconnected? i was thinking wireless RF probably, any ideas?

 

Why won't the TPMS work in the steel wheel? Is there not enough room in them?

 

I don't know enough about TPMS to tell you why it wouldn't work in steel wheels, but there may be some kind of calibration for the sensors based on wheel/tire size.

 

Is there a sensor in the actually tire? I mean it is just the winter...I wouldn't worry about it to much...

 

There is a sensor in the tire, and that's why I don't get it. Especially the explaination that it won't work because they're steel vs. alloy. I know people have put TPMS sensors into aftermarket wheels that they've bought and had them work. Also another point in my favor. Some of the '07 cars still come with steel wheels, and guess what....... all 2007 cars have TPMS, so obviously it works. Just get a set of OEM steelies.

 

The TPMS systems I have seen are a sensor built into the valve stem...It seems like a standard valve stem size, so I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

Can you provide a link to which steel wheels you got at Tirerack? I mean, are you rocking black steelies? I didn't see any on Tirerack. I wanted to try and get some for the winter, but all I saw was alloys.

 

just go to Canadian Tire if u live in canada, or the equilivant in the US.

and BTW, my mazda is an '07 and it doesnt have TPMS...i have the steelies, and it's a base mazda