Sooo.... about these TPMSs on our 4th gen explorers...

[geosnooker2000]

I just had to get a new (used) replacement wheel for my newly acquired 2010 EB, because the front driver's side wheel had a crack in it (wouldn't hold air). When I picked up the used unit from the yard, I was a bit taken aback by the strap in the middle of the wheel cavity with the blue box. I asked what it was, and he told me "that's the TPMS sensor." I looked around the other side and sure enough, there was no TPMS on the stem. I've never seen a setup like this, although admittedly, I am only 3 or 4 family cars into TPMS land. My wife's '07 Jag, my daughter #1's 2010 Fusion, and Daughter #2's 2012 Focus, and although I have never actually seen any of them in person, I have shopped for replacements on line. They all look like this:

Here is what ours look like:

Apparently it was no big deal to my shop guy who mounted and balanced my new wheel for me today. It works.
Who can tell us (me) about our setup? Is it going to be a huge PITA to replace them when the batteries run down? How long do they last? Did we get screwed with having these instead of those? Can you switch to the other style/would it even work? If I want a spare set of offroad wheels and tires, can I get a spare set of these for that? Do they have to be programmed? Do they come loose in the tire if the tech didn't tighten the band good enough?

 

[Rcflyer330]

Simple answer to most of your questions is yes. For replacement of both styles the tire has to come off. Batteries are supposed to last at least 5 years my originals are going on 8 years on my winter set of wheels. You can switch to the valve stem style if you want. In my opinion the stem style is more likely to get damaged when the tire is removed but that also depends on the person replacing your tires. The sensors need to be programmed to the vehicle in order to work. I have had only one problem with the band style and that was the band actually broke and the sensor was banging around in the tire but the sensor was fine.

Ok now onto sensors for another set of wheels. What I did a few years ago was buy orange electronics valve stem sensors with a programming tool that can copy the original sensor codes and program them to the new sensors for my summer set of wheels. The nice thing about it is I dont have to reprogram the sensors every spring and late fall when I switch wheels. I have had no problems with the tpms light comming on or any messages except once last year I had a message for a sensor problem but after I started the car again it never came back.



Hopefully that helps.

 

[Tech By Trade]

That top pic of a tpms sensor is for the next gen, it wont work. You need the 315mhz stem sensors. They are a little heavier. Like this.

 

[Explorer_PL]

My 06 was built 08/05 so going on almost 13 years on original rims and sensors with batteries.

 

[SixPonies]

When one of my OEM sensors died, I replaced them all with a set of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E4I089G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[06bluez]

When one of my OEM sensors died, I replaced them all with a set of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E4I089G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yep I used the same VDO sensors in my wheels for my 2010. I didn't have any TPMS issues with the OEM band style, but with 8 year old batteries I didn't want to deal with a dead sensor between tire changes... cheap maintenance to not have to deal with it later...