TPMS = Tire Pressure Monitoring System = Suckage

[Tobin S.]

At least on my 2010 Honda Civic. It's been a very good car for me with this one exception.

There are sensors on the car's wheels that communicate the air pressure in the tires with the car's computer. If the air pressure drops too much in one of the tires, a light comes on in my dash telling me so. It sounds like a good idea, and really, it is, but it was poorly executed in design. I've had to replace three sensors since I've owned the car. The first two were covered under warranty. I replaced the third one today and it cost me over $150. When the first two went, they failed totally and deflated the tires they were connected to. It was a good thing my car was parked both times. On the last one, it just created a slow leak, but put a big dent in my wallet.

[NYC_SKP]

1. I've been lucky, I guess, have them on present car and my last one, a Prius.

The current car is a Chevy Volt and I haven't had any trouble, although it really sucks if you have a blowout.

No spare, not even a cheater tiny spare. And the tires are specially designed to have low rolling resistance and, as a consequence, are not very rupture resistant if you hit a curb or something.

All I had was the inflate-a-flat sealer and an electric compressor, not even a jack.

Happily, I was just blocks from home and was able to avoid a tow truck.

Anyway all this makes me miss the 67 Biscayne and 66 Malibu...

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. I had a '66 Caprice wagon

You could sleep 3 - 4 people in it.

When solenoid went, I could start it with a screwdriver. Scared the girlfriend a bit when it started without me in the car, but it started.

None of the tune up and maintenance parts were over $10 and most were under $5.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

2. That's terrible

A "feature" that renders a vehicle undriveable should it fail is what we used to call a liability. Power windows are another good thing until they fail while open...

at a toll plaza...



in a storm...




in the Winter!

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. I came from the type of people who inherently distrusted stuff like that

even an automatic shift...." do you know how expensive it is to fix one if they go out???"
and "ya blow a gear in a stick, you can still drive it in an emergency"

Power windows...." trust me, it will refuse to go up at the worst time"

power steering..." engine stops, you can't even steer to the side of the road".

Luckily, I never had an engine stop while I was driving.

I suspect my old 93 stick is gonna become valuable to somebody, at some point.

[Major Nikon]

5. You might try going through Honda customer service

Even if it's out of warranty, clearly this is Honda's fault. If this is a high failure rate item with your model, they might offer to reimburse you for the repair cost. Many years ago I got Chevrolet to repaint my car, even though it wasn't covered under warranty because of a paint job that was defective from the factory.

[Mnpaul]

6. At that price

I would give aftermarket sensors a try - $6
http://www.oewheelsllc.com/TPMS-Sensors_5/Single-TPMS-Sensors-for-Honda/TPMS-sensors-for-honda#.VWpg0_RtfsE

[Tobin S.]

7. Too late

I don't know how to replace one anyway. I think most of the cost was labor.

[Mnpaul]

8. I think most of the cost was dealer markup

labor shouldn't be more than 15 minutes to change. The tire has to removed from car, deflated and then break the bead to change the sensor. The tire doesn't have to be removed from the rim. I would take it to a tire shop if it happens again. A tire pressure sensor shouldn't cost most than a tire.

[Tobin S.]

9. The part was $50.25