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Tire pressure sensors on 2002's

RytM1

Elite Explorer
Joined
June 12, 2000
Messages
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City, State
Glendale Heights, IL
Year, Model & Trim Level
98 XLT
On ABC news tonight, they had the report on the latest roll-over test being performed on SUV's. They also had a brief mention of the fact that Ford is going to start fitting some sort of tire pressure sensors in the wheels. The info would then be displayed in the message center in the console. They showed a sensor that looked like a small box, which incorporated the tire valve in it. They said it was supposed to start being used on 2002 models.
 



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I saw those tire pressure things at SEMA a couple of years ago. They were developed by race teams to monitor not only tire pressure but tie temperature as well. I would dig them on my truck. But then again, I’m easily amused by flashing lights and buttons!
 






Works only if they specify the correct pressure in the first place. The 26 psi that they called for on the Explorer was to low. That's why Ford took part of the blame and they now specify a higher number.
 






The lease on my Lexus is up in May so I've been driving cars here, kinda shopping around. That new Mercedes S500 has tire pressure sensors, pretty neat gizmo. Touch of a button and you know your tire pressure, and it beeps when it gets low.
 






I saw this too, is it just me or does this seem like a good way for them to install a $5 sensor on a rim, and mark up the price of the rim $250? Can anyone here say $500 rims available from Ford only? I knew you could...
 






So from now on, when I have a tire blowing up, I will have to be deal with a screaming wife, two scared kids and a bleeping sensor, telling me that one tire is low on air??? NO THANKS

If a tire looses air fast, this whole sensor stuff helps nothing. And if a tire looses air slowly, I detect this by the tire being warmer when I check them(for many years now, whenever I take a rest on a long drive or get gas, first thing I do is checking fast each tire for the temperature). The industry would better invest this money for pushing the existing run flat devices, or the foam rubber filled tires like used in some desert rallies by the motor bikes.

If there is the absolut need for a new sensor, then invent please the sensor that reads the drivers mind and sets the turnsignals automaticly.

Sorry for the rant, but in my opinion, this is again a fine example for solving a technical problem with a marketing solution.
 






well, to me this is their answer to "Ford's doing nothing about the rollover problem" It is a stupid fix, but let me tell you a story.
A few weeks back, going to home depot (on my daily trip while re-doing the kitchen floor), see a guy with yes, an explorer with yes, firestones. One tire (rear right) is damn near flat. i pull in behind him in the parking lot, I say "Hey did you realize your right rear tire is just about flat?" he says "oh really?" walks around takes a look, verifies that indeed it is darn near flat, says "oh well, Im taking it in for an oil change next week, I'll just take care of it then".
THAT GUY needed a bleeping sensor :). I think its silly too but hey, at least now they get some P.R. of saying "were doing everything we can about this problem"
 






Originally posted by mattadams
...THAT GUY needed a bleeping sensor
Nope! THAT GUY needed a face-slapping sensor :p
 






Nope! THAT GUY needed a face-slapping sensor[/QUOTE]

And when that guy's tire blows and kills somebody, he'll be the first in line to sue Ford and Firestone for faulty tires!

Also, donkey boy, the sensors in the tires (at least the ones at SEMA) detected the air pressure as well as temperature. You could set the warning range at the head unit to alert you at a specific temp or pressure.

That's not to say I think they are worth the money but I like geek stuff like that. Even if it is a dummy light!

Peace
 






The point of the sensor isnt to warn you when the tire has blown, its to warn you when the air is low, so you inflate it. Same kind of thing as a sensor when any fluid is low. Its a pretty neat gizmo if you ask me.
 






Originally posted by mattadams
...THAT GUY needed a bleeping sensor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



That guy needs a "STUPID" sign!!
 






I guess you guys are right ....

... and I'm wrong. :( I saw a Jetta driver this morning with an almost flat tire; he told me that this tire is very anoying, because he needs to put air in it every time he gets gas, and this since September ...

I guess we are living in a time, where sensors completely replaced common sence.

Cameron, you don't need to defend yourself that you like this stuff; fine with me :D I think everyone on this board has some preferences (I'm not saying "Fetish"), that might be hard to understand for others. I mean, I drive many thousand highway miles on BF Goodrich Mud Terrains; the four week-ends of fourwheeling do not really justify these tires, but don't even think to suggest I should use a normal tire ;)

I'm not a nostalic person that whishes the "good old times" (that weren't so good either) back, but sometimes I wish cars and trucks would not completely become computers on wheels.

Oh well. probably I'm the only one...

Peace to you too
 






You're not the only one! I miss being able to tune my car with a screwdriver!
 






Here's an image that comes to mind regarding the sensor attached to the backside (inside the tire) of the valve stem. When I got new tire for my other car, the tire jockey was going to put on the plastic lug nut covers with an air impact gun. Can you see these guys putting on or taking off tires from their rims and say "Oops I knocked this off, was this important?", or "did you need that?" or "I wonder what that is for, oh well I wont tell anyone, here's your car". Bing, bing, bing all the way to the dealer, oh you need a new rim. Another thing, does each tire sensor use a battery that will have to be changed by a tire place or dealer? That would be almost as bad as a battery operated pace maker.

How difficult is it to check tire pressure or just look at your tire profiles. Even if the tire profile would not show a minor low tire pressure, it would show when a tire is almost flat. You would have to be a complete moron to make a comment "I'll drive on it for another week (and possibly destroy the tire) and have someone(???) put air in it. Then complain and point fingers when that tire has a problem. Damn unreliable car!!! Gee, does this fall into the catagory of operator error?

Oh don't get me wrong, I like gadgets just as much as the next guy (or gal), just check out this thread:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=23439
 






The tire pressure sensors were actually developed for the trucking industry. A sensor mounted inside the wheel would alert the driver that one of his tires has lost pressure. It was later adopted by the racing world to send real-time temperature and air pressure reading.

The pressure sensor (the part that goes in your cab) looks like this:


Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed


They display each tires pressure
Rated for 0-50 psi
Accuracy 0.2 psi
Battery life 5+ years
Price about $300

The unit that goes in the wheel is not connected to the air inlet stem. It is mounted in the center of the wheel.
 






On the Mercedes I drove there is a messahe center in the center of the speedometer. You can click through a lot of different information about the car, fluid levels to the quart, gallon, air pressures for each tire etc. Pretty cool if you ask me. Instead of telling me I need oil it tells me HOW MUCH I need.
 






they have had these sensors in the corvette for a number of years, and from what i understand, they are the wastes of money. My boss is a Corvette FREAK, and has had a few. this last one, he chose not to even get them, because all of the last ones had failed. now granted, we all know that chevy makes crap, and ford doesn't....hehehe....so the quailty and technology are bound to be better....so really don't know why im talking.....just my 2 cents i guess....

there is a lot of breeze in here...maybe its just my gums flappin in the wind..... :D
 






I own a 1999 Corvette as well as a 1997 Explorer. The Corvette is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, which I feel is the second best safety device on the vehicle (the first being the active handling system). With the vet's run-flat tires it is difficult to tell by road feel when the tires air pressure is low and impossible to tell by sight. I don't think most people check their tires air pressure regularly therefore the addition of an air-pressure monitoring system is a step in the right direction. With the new Explorer's Active handling option (i.e., Advance Trac, where yaw sensors will be used to actively monitor the vehicles maneuverability) if the driver over steers in an emergency situation the vehicle will straighten itself out bye applying the needed braking to anyone of the vehicles wheels necessary to do so in a split second. Add all of this to a new IRS (independent rear suspension), new front coil spring setup (no more torsion-bar) with rack & pinion steering. New rear side curtain airbags (help prevent passengers from being ejected in a rollover) and dual-stage front airbags that deploy differently based on crash severity, seatbelt use and driver's seat position.

I for one will be looking into buying a Ford Explorer in 2003 (not 20002) when all or at least most of the bugs are worked out!
 









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Thanks Stephen!

I am happy to be here!

Paul
 






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