TPMS bands breaking?
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Joined: May 28, 2006
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TPMS bands breaking?
Back in late January I had a flat tire, and decided to swap all 4 out at the time for 255s. I took the car to the Discount Tire store nearby when the tires came in, and they did a great job installing them.
Fast forward to March, and I started hearing an odd sound when I was going slow. It sounded like a metal clanking sound, almost like a thin piece of metal hitting something. I verified I wasn't dragging anything and couldn't tell where it was coming from. Nothing seemed to be wrong with the car, it still performed like it always had. I finally took it to the dealership to look at, and they called me later asking who had installed the tires. Since it wasn't them, they didn't touch them, but told me it was the tire pressure sensor loose in the two rear wheels.
I then took the car back to Discount Tire, and they first verified the car uses the "older" system with bands around the wheel. They then raised the car up and took off the two rear tires, and found the problem. The band had broken, and was loose inside the tire, but the sensor managed to stay in place somehow. Looking at the metal, it seemed like it sheared off somehow. They weren't sure how it happened, but replaced the bands with stronger after-market ones for free.
Has anyone else seen similar? It seems odd that both rear bands broke in the same way, but the front ones were fine. The only thing I can think of is that my trip to the track in March might have done it, but I'm still puzzled how quick acceleration could do it. I suppose one possibility was that someone over-tightened the bracket and over time enough pressure sheared the metal, and the timing is just coincidence.
Fast forward to March, and I started hearing an odd sound when I was going slow. It sounded like a metal clanking sound, almost like a thin piece of metal hitting something. I verified I wasn't dragging anything and couldn't tell where it was coming from. Nothing seemed to be wrong with the car, it still performed like it always had. I finally took it to the dealership to look at, and they called me later asking who had installed the tires. Since it wasn't them, they didn't touch them, but told me it was the tire pressure sensor loose in the two rear wheels.
I then took the car back to Discount Tire, and they first verified the car uses the "older" system with bands around the wheel. They then raised the car up and took off the two rear tires, and found the problem. The band had broken, and was loose inside the tire, but the sensor managed to stay in place somehow. Looking at the metal, it seemed like it sheared off somehow. They weren't sure how it happened, but replaced the bands with stronger after-market ones for free.
Has anyone else seen similar? It seems odd that both rear bands broke in the same way, but the front ones were fine. The only thing I can think of is that my trip to the track in March might have done it, but I'm still puzzled how quick acceleration could do it. I suppose one possibility was that someone over-tightened the bracket and over time enough pressure sheared the metal, and the timing is just coincidence.
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: February 8, 2004
Posts: 3,399
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From: Cincinnati, OH
I think I am going to have my right front tire (which was rotated from the rear about 2800 miles ago) checked. I recently heard a metal clanking noise, thinking I had run over something on the road. I could not see any damage.
I wonder if this is a defect that is now beginning to show itself.
My '07 has about 11,800 miles on it - no drag racing.
I wonder if this is a defect that is now beginning to show itself.
My '07 has about 11,800 miles on it - no drag racing.
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