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Technical Tire replacement problem

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Technical Tire replacement problem

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Geolith

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Today a local service was unable to replace my tires and I'm confused. They said they couldn't inflate them properly in order to make them fit the wheels, because they lacked the necessary equipment for this particular case. Also, they said that they were afraid to damage the pressure sensors.

So my question is this: Could my new Goodyear UltraGrip ICE SUV GEN-1 215/60R17 96T tires be somehow problematic for the Fiat 500X Lounge standard factory wheels? Before buying, I checked the basic parameters of the present tires and they all fit, but maybe I missed something.

Also, I'd like to know if those pressure sensors really have a chance to be damaged during the replacement. If so, I may opt to play it safe and go to the local FIAT center, which is quite an expensive option (80 EUR with taxes, as opposed to 25-30 EUR with taxes in normal service shops).
 
Goodcoin said:
Today a local service was unable to replace my tires and I'm confused. They said they couldn't inflate them properly in order to make them fit the wheels, because they lacked the necessary equipment for this particular case. Also, they said that they were afraid to damage the pressure sensors.

So my question is this: Could my new Goodyear UltraGrip ICE SUV GEN-1 215/60R17 96T tires be somehow problematic for the Fiat 500X Lounge standard factory wheels? Before buying, I checked the basic parameters of the present tires and they all fit, but maybe I missed something.

Also, I'd like to know if those pressure sensors really have a chance to be damaged during the replacement. If so, I may opt to play it safe and go to the local FIAT center, which is quite an expensive option (80 EUR with taxes, as opposed to 25-30 EUR with taxes in normal service shops).
Click to expand...



There are no pressure sensors in the EU models, it works differently somehow
 
Goodcoin said:
Are you sure? I thought it was trim level related, not a regional feature.
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Many apologies, I forgot yours was US spec, which probably does have individual pressure sensors. European spec is an indirect system measuring rotation speeds or similar
 
Alanw47 said:
Many apologies, I forgot yours was US spec, which probably does have individual pressure sensors.
Click to expand...

Yes, this car shows individual tire pressure values and gives a warning if anything drops below acceptable. After tire replacement it goes haywire for a while, though.
 
If there is a reset procedure, it should be in the handbook. As Alan says, our UK 500X's have an indirect TPMS, but my wife's car has pressure transducers built into the tyre valves. These are all metal and held to the rim with a nut fixing, unlike normal part-rubber push-in valves. We had the tyres replaced on that about a year ago, no issues with the TPMS.
 
Goodcoin said:
Yes, this car shows individual tire pressure values and gives a warning if anything drops below acceptable. After tire replacement it goes haywire for a while, though.
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so this is why UK models dont display individual pressures - glad I checked here before going off to bend the dealers ear about it..!!!
 
Kidcrewbob said:
so this is why UK models dont display individual pressures - glad I checked here before going off to bend the dealers ear about it..!!!
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Cos it's a totally different system that doesn't read the pressures but uses the ABS technology to monitor changes in wheel rotation (or something similar). It uses ordinary valves not the special (expensive) ones,
 
Alanw47 said:
Cos it's a totally different system that doesn't read the pressures but uses the ABS technology to monitor changes in wheel rotation (or something similar). It uses ordinary valves not the special (expensive) ones,
Click to expand...

Thanks Alan - and I can say that it does work BUT nowhere near as sensitive as the direct sensors - our warning light came on the other day and when we checked (should be 35 PSI all round) one was 24 and I assume the one that triggered the alert. The others were high twenties and one a shade over 30 so beware and check regularly as they can be pretty soft before the system detects it or so it seems.....
 
Mine sounded an alert after I swapped the tyres front to rear - the change of relative diameters set it off. Not sure how much of a pressure drop is needed, but as there is a legal requirement for them to be fitted, there must be a specification for them to meet.
No substitute for regular checks though.
 
Pretty poor system....I had it go off when I had a flat (nail) and after having a new tyre fitted it goes off a couple times a month for no reason. All driving types fast slow motorway bumpy roads etc etc. Has a mind of its own!
 
twobigdogs said:
Pretty poor system....I had it go off when I had a flat (nail) and after having a new tyre fitted it goes off a couple times a month for no reason. All driving types fast slow motorway bumpy roads etc etc. Has a mind of its own!
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Agreed, not exactly reliable
 
Update: The local Fiat service also had some issues with fitting the new tires to the wheels, but nothing they couldn't resolve. They said it could be a matter of differences between the European and the US standards.

As for the pressure sensors, there were no issues, they didn't go crazy this time and started reporting the actual values right after the replacement.
 
Strangely, since my tyre swap episode, mine hasn't given any false warnings. I had a Mini a few years ago with the same kind of system, and that used to cry wolf occasionally, so I took to carrying a digital guage in the boot so I could stop and check things if it bleeped. The direct TPMS tell you the pressure in the deflating tyre, and which one it is. Much better, but uses expensive valves which will need replacing eventually when the batteries go flat.
 
TrevC said:
The direct TPMS tell you the pressure in the deflating tyre, and which one it is. Much better, but uses expensive valves which will need replacing eventually when the batteries go flat.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm planning to install them on an extra set of wheels next Spring and it's gonna cost 250 EUR (all four of them). I didn't know the batteries were not exchangeable. Needing to replace the whole thing is not so good, as they are not cheap, indeed.
 
I must admit I assumed the battery was built in due to space constraints. This site:
https://www.national.co.uk/information/tpms-sensor-valve-service-and-replacement
suggests they have a limited life, but doesn't seem to mention the battery as a reason. The system on our Suzuki will only give a pressure reading after being driven. I'm told it's because the valves have a centrifugal switch that prevents the battery being drained when the car is not being driven. This suggests that their life is mileage dependent, assuming low self-discharge and no problems with other elements in the transponder.
 
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