I had a scion hit me coming out of a stop sign, he managed to just scuff my car on the right rear panel. Behind the right wheel and above the splashguard piece. The insurance payed for the bumper to be replaced and everything, thats all good

It threw my alignment off when I was hit so I had it put back into spec, so now it goes straight when I'm driving instead of pulling to one side. I noticed one day that I smelled a burning smell behind the car on that side and the gas station attendent smelled it too. Shortly after that my tire pressure warning light comes on.

The smell went away and I took it in and the insurance's shop looked at it and said they couldn't find anything and said that the pressure was just too low. So they filled it back up, but its still happening. The tire pressure warning light comes on and on the TPMS gauge one of the numbers on the R (rear) the bottom one goes to lines. It will read fine and then after 15 miles of driving it just goes to lines and the tire pressure light comes on. I have tried refilling it and making positive its right at 35 pounds. Havn't seemed to get it to read above 35.

I'm just wondering whether the guy that hit me could have screwed this up? Because it started happening the day after the wreck. He hit me pretty hard but it didn't do that much damage to me. I should also note that I took off the bumper and I couldn't find any burnt wires or anything.

I know it was because of the wreck but could anybody confirm this? What should I do? In the alignment the back was way off so it must have hit the wheel but the valve stem doesn't look affected.

 

Is it possible he hit the valve on the wheel before hitting the fender? That might have damaged the TPMS sender.

I'd be more concerned about the burning rubber smell. Is the tire getting hot to the touch? Maybe the alignment is off so far that the tire is scrubbing, and that's heating up the tire. The rear suspension could be off even though the car steers straight.

I have no idea what (if anything) the TPMS does when the pressure goes too high, but maybe someone else here knows.

 

The burning smell was only for like 1 hour, its gone completely now and the mechanics couldn't find anything to do with that smell, they looked everywhere.

I just can't figure out what needs to be fixed.

 

Burning smell... Not sure. But, I'd try getting the tpms re-calibrated to see if that knocks some sense into them. Oddly, this is sometimes cheaper at the dealer, so check there even though you might not normally.

 

Yep had that done, I guess they couldn't be re calibrated. So The insurance is covering a replacement. Problem solved..although I was very dissapointed in finding out that a key costs 200 dollars. Thats rediculous

 

"Key" was expensive? Do you mean a new pressure sensor?

 

Oh naw, I asked how much it would be to get another key to start the car with would be. Since I had two, and lost one somehow. Was very surprised that a key for the car is 200 bucks. The price of the new sensor installed is 236, but its the insurance paying so no big deal.

Is there a way to get a key made for cheaper? That seems absolutely rediculous for a key.

 

You might be able to get an auto repo guy to do it. Some of them have the thing for programming the key transponder. I've heard that doing that makes the old keys unusable, though.

 

Hmmm, interesting. Auto repo guys, I'm a little confused on who that would be?

 

They repossess cars for banks and loan companies when people don't pay on their car loans. Sometimes they need the keys to do that if the people aren't cooperative or aren't available.

 

Allright I'll look into that

 

Well, I had the tire pressure sensor replaced with a brand new unit today. They were all recalibrated and not even 10 minutes after I left Lithia the TPMS warning system comes on and the numbers where the right rear are on the gauge are lines instead of 35.

I'm very irritated. I have another appointment tomorrow but if they try to get money out of me I am not paying since this happened right after my accident. And was becaues of the accident