is there a way to check the TPMS sensors without actually deflating a tire to below whatever the level to set off the sensor and indicator light on the dash is?? i have no idea if the sensors on my srt6 have ever been changed, if they are good, or it the sensors go bad will it trip the dash light?? the indicator light on the dash does light with the key turned to the start position and goes off normally upon start as you would expect. additional..... i read the tpms thread that goes back to the year 1 and couldn't really find any conclusion regarding what to do if hey sensors finally go (assuming they haven't already and a previous owner did the #2 wire trick (but i doubt it since the indicator light shines when starting the car). bottom line has anyone actually found a real replacement that can be programmed by someone other than NASA since the dealerships apparently no longer want to work on our cars and those that do probably aren't qualified any longer, lol.. in simple terms: what is he correct TPMS sensors (universal frequency if possible) and who can properly program it??

 

It IS a dumb system, if any sensor indicates pressure too high OR too low, the light comes on. THEN, you must use a pressure gauge to find the one that is in alarm.

Also, when the battery in a sensor finally goes dead, the receiver will eventually realize it is not hearing from that sensor, and light the light. THAT is where is it hard to figure out. The conclusion everyone has come to is simple; If they are original, and one goes, the others are about to - so the thing to do is to replace all of them; you are then good for 5-10 years.

I have not had a car with them in over three years, my SE is a base model, so I don't keep up with this. The definitive answer is provided by Clint in Detroit (Crossfire owner and retired Chyrsler Engineer). He wrote post about this on Facebook. Let me see if I can find it and post it here..

 

From CLint's Keyboard:

The big trick is getting a Crossfire to "relearn" new sensor IDs when batteries in the old sensors die. Seems many are lasting 10 years or so, but now that is catching even the newest Crossfire cars. The sensors themselves are not all that special, the same ones were used in Chrysler minivans, in Vipers, and a few other cars. Sensors from Mopar (made by Schrader) will work, direct from Schrader, and I expect many other aftermarket sensors will work - IF you get the car to recognize them.

That is where many tire shops and even Chrysler dealerships will mess up. Most Chrysler cars after Crossfire build time have systems in the car which will automatically recognize that new wheel pressure sensors have been installed, and learn the IDs of the new sensors - just by driving the car for a few minutes (to get the sensors broadcasting their radio signals). Crossfire cars do NOT have the additional antennas, etc. to do this. But lazy or hurried or uniformed techs will assume a Chrysler Crossfire will just learn new sensor IDs without them doing anything but physically installing the sensors in the wheel.

OTHER trick is getting the car into sensor "relearn" mode. This requires the DRB III dealership diagnostic computer tool -- which was obsolete after 2007 for Chrysler dealerships. And to work with Crossfires (or Sprinter vans) needed an additional Multiplexer cable, and Crossfire software card. Which some dealerships never bought, or if bought in 2004, have been lost since. BUT: several indicators say that current Chrysler dealership diagnostic equipment SHOULD have a DRB III Enhanced Emulator function available! So if you can find a Chrysler dealership game to learn something new about their equipment, they CAN do the TPMS sensor relearn on a Crossfire!

EASIER CHEAPER WAY: Find a tire store which can and will CLONE the old working sensor IDs into new sensors. This is by far the fastest easiest, one-stop approach. As long as they can read the old sensor IDs, new sensors can be set to use the same IDs, So no car-side "relearn" necessary!

 

thank you for taking the time to try to find it. i read until my eyes bled and came away no better off than when i started other than to come to the conclusion that without the chrysler scanner, cable, card and whatever else it needs, it is virtually impossible to use the OEM units if and when they go bad but no one has a definitive answer as to what will really work well and is affordable.

 

Agreed. Its another part of our car's "red headed step-child" legacy.

NOw, I live near Dallas, Texas and we have a guy in the group who has a DRB tool/computer. So if I DID need new sensors, I'd have a tire store put them in and then go to his house and let him get the car to "learn" them. But again, the SE does not have such a system.

 

One thing, I saved the above text because it "cuts thru the crap". It is THE answer. Its not an answer we like, but it cuts thru the crap and tells us where we stand (and sort of, why.)

 

 

It's here too TPMS Info

 

I wouldn't make that blanket statement. Have you seen all of the recommendations to disable the light? The odds are great someone got there before you and clipped the light wire at the connector. I try telling people if they are going to do things like that to let buyers know. They promise to but do they really?

 

ANother bookmark added.

 

 

About the only thing that does not work on my Cross fire are the 15 year old sensor batteries in my tire sensors. Here is why I will not bother to change them..... First,

must break down all 5 tires that are currently perfectly balanced. Then, must go to Chrysler for servicing because no one else has that darn tool to reprogram them. They want $165 for each tire for installing each sensor plus sensor parts plus rebalancing tires. They want $135 for each sensor part. They will not let me buy my own sensors because they will not install parts not provided by them . They have you on this one because only they have the reprogramming tool! Way over $1000 total. I forget the exact price parts quoted me for the sensors. but do remember it was about triple of what it would cost for the exact same part on ebay. If I let some other service or tire place to install sensors first then take it to Chrysler and for some reason they do not program correctly, I would still be out the money for their programming attempt. Nope.

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All four tires.

 

It was $135 for each sensor.

 

I don't like to mess with perfectly balanced tires either so just get new TPMS when you buy tires next. Get the OEM style Schrader for $32 each and find a dealer who charges 1/4 hour for a TPMS relearn. I like simple. And cheap.

 

i think i would agree if the indicator light on the dash didn't light up at engine start up. if the wire were clipped i would think the light would be unable to function under any circumstance.

 

I have disconnected the TPMS wires at the Home link module on both my cars and the TPMS light still illuminates when the key is in the RUN position on start-up.

 

 

The bulb check function is what checks the lamp on startup, it has nothing to do with whether or not the TPMS system works, or not. If the lamp didn't light at startup (lamp check) then it is either a blown bulb, cut wire, or an open in the bulb wiring somewhere in the system

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Yup, there are two sources to light that indicator, the bulb test from the computer at start-up and the module sending the TPMS warning.