TPM - needed or not

TPM is a Federal requirement on cars since the last few years, it either a banded sensor around the wheel or part of the valve stem, it has nothing to do with the tire.
If you were to run say a seperate set of winter wheels and tires then the warning lamp and maybe a message would come on in the cluster, if you run without TPM since you check regularly you would be fine, of course when you revert back to orginal wheels and tires the warning go out since sensors are now present.
You can of course have sensors on your replacement wheels and tires and have them programed to your vehicle and never see the warning lamp.

TPM is a wireless RF device that transmits tire pressure to the vehicle body control module which then controls the warning lamps and messages.
Each sensor has a serial number that is tied into the body control module, that way if you have a vehicle driving next to you or in the parking lot you will not pick up their pressure info in error .
Sensor serial numbers are configured into the body control module at the assembly plant, if you cahnge it then the body control module needs to be programmed to recognize the new serial number, there is a learn tool that you can use to put the sensor into teach mode.

I have winter tires/wheels on my 2011 GT, with no TPMS on them. Every time I start the car, I get some chimes and a message. Hit the "reset" button and the message goes away but my "tire alert" light stays on.

Perhaps tomorrow, if I'm feeling adventurous...I might put the summer shoes on and hope it doesn't snow in Michigan going forward. Then, the alert and crap will go away.

No, you don't NEED it. You will have the tire light the others mentioned. I will say this though: despite your weekly checking, which I think is a great thing, if you are going to lay out all the money you did for a nice car, then why stop $200 short, especially on the safety side of things? Let's say you pick up a nail, a piece of debris, or whatever else, and you are losing air pressure at a higher rate than would show in a week, or worst case, rapidly on your way down the highway. Wouldn't it be nice to have the car warn you before the tire is critically low and you realize it via a sudden lack of handling? I had this happen once, courtesy of some metal debris in the road that I caught at night in my old 88 Ttop. It cut the sidewall pretty good, but only a small area was deep enough to start losing air. It wasn't until I almost lost it on the offramp that I realized how bad of shape I was in. I say take advantage of the new safety innovations we have been given, ensure your TPMS is working, and enjoy your ride.

astronut1885 said:

No, you don't NEED it. You will have the tire light the others mentioned. I will say this though: despite your weekly checking, which I think is a great thing, if you are going to lay out all the money you did for a nice car, then why stop $200 short, especially on the safety side of things? Let's say you pick up a nail, a piece of debris, or whatever else, and you are losing air pressure at a higher rate than would show in a week, or worst case, rapidly on your way down the highway. Wouldn't it be nice to have the car warn you before the tire is critically low and you realize it via a sudden lack of handling? I had this happen once, courtesy of some metal debris in the road that I caught at night in my old 88 Ttop. It cut the sidewall pretty good, but only a small area was deep enough to start losing air. It wasn't until I almost lost it on the offramp that I realized how bad of shape I was in. I say take advantage of the new safety innovations we have been given, ensure your TPMS is working, and enjoy your ride.

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THIS.

I had a blowout on my old truck (didn't have TPMS) on the Interstate at 75 mph because I apparently picked up something in the tire and the pressure decreased to the point where the tread separated from the sidewall. If I had TPMS, I would have known when the pressure dropped below 25 psi, and I could have pulled over to the side of the road, preventing the blowout and perhaps saving the tire.

Don't know why they dropped the gray, because everyone who sees my car says it is one of their favorite Mustang colors. For me, though, it means less cars on the road looking like mine

retiredf5 said:

Sparty92--

What Winter tires do you have??? and the results you have gotten.

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To get a 19" snow tire is huge $. Blizzaks would have cost me $1,100 just for tires.

Discount tire hooked me up with some 18" Drag wheels (DR-31, flat black, red stripe) and some Blizzak DM-V1 in a 235/55/18. Cost was $1,250 out the door. They clear the Brembo's no problem.

The tires are listed as "SUV" tires, mostly because of the size. They are a tad taller than the OD of the OEM 19" wheel. The "proper" size for the Mustang in an 18" would have been 235/50/18, but the price would have gone up $50/tire. Since I don't care to spend an extra $200 for a slightly smaller sidewall, I got the larger size. Most snow tires are not speed rated. Some have a bit of a squirmy ride when cornering at speed or with quick stops. These tires work very well as a "normal" tire. I don't like going 80mph with them, but it can be done without issue.

Performance is 100% better than an all-season tire. I have 3.73 gears so there is some slippage in 1st gear on the snow, but it's not alarming. The car will pass vehicles in pretty deep snow with no problems. The car will push a little going around slow, 90º corners if you go in too hot. Braking is insanely awesome. The grip just pulls you down quickly. You can start/stop on ice, but you have to know what you're doing....something an all-season tire cannot do.

I have a $1,000 deductible on my car. I don't want to have to spend it, should I go off into a ditch or get tagged by someone because I can't move out of the way (in stop n' go traffic). If you live in a snowy climate (Michigan), you are smart to do yourself the favor of getting dedicated snow tires. Like performance tires for summer, they are performance tires for the winter. I think they are well worth the investment and peace of mind while driving. No more white knuckles.

Side benefit: They will last you about 3-4 years, and unless you drive like a toolbox, should look new for a LONG time. Your summer tires will also last longer too. The best way to go is 2 sets of wheels, but I've gone with OEM wheels on my 2007 for a few years, with mounting/dismounting of the snows. You have to pay for the mount/dismount and your wheels may get scuffed in the process. Having 2 sets of wheels lets you just put on/take off wheels yourself. Simple and easy to do.

Hope that helps!

Wholy nubs batman! I plan on throwing blizzaks at my factory wheels once the stock rubber is gone since I now have the Redlines for the summer.

Looks like I'll be looking into some Blizzaks for my factory 18's when these tires are worn out lol