This is just a general question for everyone that got aftermarket wheels and did not install TPMS. Do you guys check tire pressure everytime you drive? What if you do check it every time before you start driving, but somewhere in the middle of commute a nail hits, but you never notice since the low pressure light doesn't come on, and tire blows causing damage to your new rim?

 

Without TPMS, you do like everybody has done for years. Check it weekly or monthly, that should be more than enough.

If you get a nail, then it goes flat. TPMS only warns you that it's going flat - it's gonna go flat anyway.

 

Most people with TPMS do not really get any use out of them everyday.

 

Well at least you know that, "hey, i better stop my plans right away and fix the nail first". You know what I mean? When pressure drops below OEM specification, the light will come on right away. But what if you're taking a long road trip on the freeway and will only check the tires when you're at a rest stop? That might be 3-4 hrs drive, and in 3-4 hrs, I think pressure can drop quite fast.


Can you please elaborate?

 

I agree... this question is ridiculous.

 

+1

 

even if i had the TPMS, i would still manually check my tires

 

+2

To answer it.. They are doing FINE...

 

lol im just annoyed by the light.

 

+3 and definatly that light gets annoying after a while

 

You don't need TPMS to tell you you have a low tire during your road trip. You'll notice by how the car drives. Ever driven a car with a drastically low or flat tire?

 

At highway speeds, a tire that is slowly losing pressure due to a puncture is difficult to notice until it's too late. The low profiles and stiff sidewalls keep the car feeling normal for a lot longer than you'd think.

I've had the warning go off and got out of the car and had difficulty telling that there was the problem. The system read 9psi in that particular wheel.

 

9psi and you had a tough time telling there was a problem? You must have some insane uber-ultra-stiff-sidewalls if your tires look normal at 9psi. I've had mines bump below 28 and I could already tell it looks kind of off.

 

I have experienced the same as you describe... I had this happen with my TPMS-equipped 2003 Z Perfomance model. I was on the expressway and had no idea I was losing pressure quickly until I noticed the flashing LCD indicator displaying low psi. I pulled over, and the tire was nearly flat.

Low-profile summer performance tires and their relatively stiff sidewalls run fairly well at highway speed until the tire nearly-fully deflates. You can get really low on the psi side; but, the momentum, hot air inside the tire, and stiff sidewalls cover-up the problem for a short while. Since the bead was still intact, I was actually able to drive a few more miles to a service station. Of course the tire was ruined (but that ruination probably happened before the “second drive”).

I have experienced the same with my off-road 4WD vehicle (equipped with 15” wheels and 32” tires), but of course the problem was immediately obvious requiring immediate action to avoid disaster (rollover). Not the case with the Z.

--Spike

 

And, you noticed that while observing the tires while running on the expressway at 70 mph? That would be a very difficult visual.

Of course I'm kidding with you in good humor (and not trying to be confrontational).

I think you may have missed Dave's point though.

--Spike

 

My problem started in the parking lot at work. I left there and noticed nothing unusual about the ride or handling. The sensors don't start registering until after you get above 20MPH and sometimes, it takes 30-60 seconds before all four wheels are recognized by the system.

I got a few blocks down the street and the low pressure warning went off so I pulled into a gas station. I checked the TPMS readout and saw that one was 9psi (didn't make the mental note as to which one), so I got out figuring it would be easy to tell.

I walked around the car twice and examined tires and still didn't see the obvious culprit. I went back and read the display and noted that it was the right rear showing the low reading. Only then did I really recognize that the tire had an unusual amount of bulge. 35 series tires don't have a whole lot of sidewall, and PS2s have some pretty stiff ones on top of that.

 

x2

 

Did ALL Z's come with factory TPMS? My 04.5 ZR doesn't have it, but it had aftermarket rims when I bought it. But nothing shows up for it in the multi-gauge. If the system is disabled does it no longer show up there? I'd really like to get it working again if my car has the capability of talking to the sensors.

 

No, before 2007 not all Zs had TPMS. In 2007, all Zs have them in compliance with a new federal requirement for all vehicles. Since you have an auto trans, your Z came with 17" wheels and they didn't include TPMS. The same was true of the enthusiast and base models which all came with 17" wheels.

 

Thanks for the info... I suppose I could go aftermarket. I would feel more secure if I had something with the frequency I do spirited runs up mountain roads. If one of my tires were to blow in a hard corner it could ruin my day to say the least.