TPMS failures

Coolerman wrote:
If a TST system takes an hour to alert you to loss of sensor signal, how long does it take to tell you about a blowout, or loss of pressure? Sounds sort of worthless to me? I'm in the market for a system and that is good to know.

I have a 507 TST system.

Recently I adjusted the pressures on my 10 sensors.

When I removed the sensors 8 of them took about 15 seconds before the receiver alarmed. 2 sensors took about 5 seconds.

If a TST system takes an hour to alert you to loss of sensor signal, how long does it take to tell you about a blowout, or loss of pressure? Sounds sort of worthless to me? I'm in the market for a system and that is good to know.

GMandJM wrote:

Heavy Metal Doctor wrote:
...
In my case, the alarm went off instantly when the signal was lost every time.

That isn't how TST monitors work.

Correct each time you got the alarm you did not have current pressures for at least one hour.

Heavy Metal Doctor wrote:
...
In my case, the alarm went off instantly when the signal was lost every time.

That isn't how TST monitors work.

RCMAN46 wrote:
When a TST tire sensor fails it will take one hour before the monitor will alarm.

Same for loss of signal.

Sorry you musta had a bad experience, but I used the TST system for a 4k mile trip this season and my only problem was that my set up puts me right on the edge for signal strength. I need to add the repeater, even though I was assured by many that I would not need it.
In my case, the alarm went off instantly when the signal was lost every time. I got tired of trying to get it to "catch" again, which required getting the receiver closer to the TT tires (not easy / fast when trying to get miles down the road). I learned to just cycle the power off and back on to the readout unit and then it just flashed silently 'till the signal was caught again at the next fuel stop.

The great thing is that if your tire and wheel separate from the axle and go rolling down the hill with the TPMS attached, even though the monitor still shows pressure and temp for up to an hour, you may experience other sensations and feedback external to the monitor to alert you that there may be a problem. Depending on how you lived your life, the loss of the TPMS in that situation may be the least of your worries. :-)

When a TST tire sensor fails it will take one hour before the monitor will alarm.

Same for loss of signal.

Aftermarket (external) TPMS units are a great safety feature, but, as lanerd said, they don't give you an excuse to not do your due diligence.

The advantage of a TPMS is that it can alert you to changes in PSI and temp while you're en route.

The downside is that sensors aren't high-output devices and also many things can interfere with the signals.

Unfortunately, most monitors don't let you know immediately when a sensor's signal is lost; they give you readings from memory for up to an hour.

By the time you get an actual lost signal alert, you've had no signal for that hour or so duration. The reading on your monitor is from the TPMS system's memory.

You might not NEED a repeater/booster, but using one gives your TPMS system the best chance of working properly.

I have the TST507. Worked great on a 5000 mile trip out west. Then started giving no info on certain tires. Changed batteries, no good. Got in touch with TST and they sent a repeater in 2 days to see if that was the problem. I installed it in the front pass through. Next trip and all subsequent trips, all is fine. Fantastic customer service.

I've had Pressure Pro on my previous motor home and toad and transferred them to our new motor home an toad and after almost seven years, I have only experience one time when the sensor vibrated loose a little bit causing the sensor to stop sending. My monitor immediately notified me that I had lost connection and at the next stop, I found and tightened the sensor back on and have never had another problem with it. I do, however, now make it a point to check the sensors prior to travel.

Our new toad, 2011 GMC Terrain, came with factory TPMS and I have never experienced a single problem with it in the 75,000 miles we've driven it and the 10,000 miles we've towed it.

Checking your tires prior to travel is a good thing, but does nothing when your going down the highway at 60mph and you run over something that causes a tire to start leaking. If the leaking continues, the tire will eventually come apart and cause lots of damage....much more than the cost of the TPMS.

You mentioned: "I dislike them because it gives you an excuse to NOT do what you should be doing on a regular basis."

Just because you have a TPMS, does NOT relieve you of your responsibility to check your tires prior to traveling. The TPMS will warn you of leakage, but will do nothing to tell you of cracks, bubbles, rocks, or other debris that tires (especially duals) can pick up that will cause damage.

TPMS is a great safety device that every rv'er should be using.

Ron