TPMS on winter wheels

[Malbut]

Hi,

I have acquired a set of 4 original Mitsubish alloy wheels with winter tyres which I want to fit to my Mitsubishi PHEV.
The rims are exactly the same size and style as already fitted to the car.

My queries are:
(a) do I need to fit new TPMS senders to the new wheels,
(b) should any reputable tyre fitting depot be able do it, or must I go to a main dealer, and
(c) will the two sets of wheels be interchangeable without needing to reprogram the system at every change

I asked at a local branch of a national tyre and MOT concern having seen its online advert about servicing TPMS but was told they couldn't do it and they didn't have answers for my other queries.

Apologies if this is a dumb question, but I'm not used to TPMS and the nearest main dealer is several miles out of my way.

Thanks

Edited by Malbut on Monday 6th December 17:30

[E63eeeeee...]

You don't have to have TPMS at all, but if your car came with it and it doesn't work it's potentially an MOT fail depending on how old your car is. I guess you could always put your summers back on for the day if your MOT is due before the spring.

[E63eeeeee...]

Actually, do you know for sure that the new wheels don't already have the sensors? The system should automatically detect the new sensors but you'll probably have to do a calibration - instructions should be online or in your manual.

[Malbut]

Thanks for the reply.

I just want to be legal, and the MOT is January, so potentially having to swap wheels twice in one winter would be a bit of a fag — they're heavy and I've got a bit of trouble with one arm.

No, I don't know for sure that the winter wheels have TPMS fitted, but they came off a similar though earlier model (2016) and TPMS would have been fitted as standard then, and the valve stems look exactly the same (for what that's worth).

I had supposed that each set of TPMS was "tuned" to the individual vehicle so that even wheels from identical vehicles weren't necessarily interchangeable. But this new set of wheels has already been mounted on the car and the TPMS set up procedure gone through several times without success. That's why I supposed I needed new sensors (or batteries?).

Edited by Malbut on Monday 6th December 18:06

[E63eeeeee...]

Fair enough, I'd keep shopping around then, most tyre places should be able to supply and fit them. For what it's worth, sensors for the Merc are about 50 quid each, then you're just paying for a tyre fitting, so maybe 10-15 quid a corner unless you've got friends.

[E-bmw]

I am asking in my ignorance, does your can use sensors, or does it use ABS sensor data?

[pills]

This old post seems to suggest that they are needed

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

In my expereince with a BMW the system will autoimatically pick up the new system once the winter tyres are fitted with a simple reset from the car, no need for reprogramming.

[Malbut]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Firstly, the system uses TPMS with a sensor installed in each wheel.

Delving further into the owners manual (which I should have done earlier) I’ve found a section on TPMS in a different part of the 2cm thick book — away from the info on tyres and wheels — that says: “The tyre inflation pressure sensor IDs for two sets of tyres can be registered”, so one of my questions is answered.

But like every technical adjustment or bit of servicing data the manual covers, it says it’s to be done by a registered Mitsubishi Authorised Service Point — it even says any punctures should be repaired by them too — all under the threat of the warranty being voided if not, which I thought was now contrary to consumer law.

I don’t know the frequency the system operates at, and I assume it’s the normal euro one and anyway, the tyre fitter would know. But that’s the problem, the two I’ve approached say they can’t do it.

So it looks like I can have done what I want, but that I’ll have to drive to a Mitsubishi Service Agent for it and spend upwards of 3 hours on public transport to travel from and back, which is what I was trying to avoid.