Tire Pressure Sensor recommendation

[WALKING TALL]

I have a 04 Viper, what tps will work best with my car? I do have a DBR3 and a magnet or another tool to activate the sensors. I was looking at RockAuto at 2 different sensors, the Schrader sensor part #29227 or VDO sensor part #SE10004A. Thanks in advance!

 

[Goggles Pizano]

Maybe you can just replace the batteries in them?

 

[WALKING TALL]

Yes, I did try to open up the softer side of the plastic on the sensor to see if that would be possible, but I ended up destroying it.

 

[Old School]

I've have issues with some sensors not waking up with the magnet (even though they advertised as should), but this woke those up. The earlier sensors used the magnet, later used RF.

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[WALKING TALL]

I've have issues with some sensors not waking up with the magnet (even though they advertised as should), but this woke those up. The earlier sensors used the magnet, later used RF.

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Thanks, Old School I do have the necessary equipment like a Chrysler DRB3 scan tool and the reset tool that you have listed above to do the job I just need to know what sensors will work the best without any issues. Do you have any recommendations of what sensors that would work the best?

 

[Old School]

The Schrader 29227 works, but won't activate with the magnet. The RF tool will wake them up. There was an older Schrader part number that woke up with the magnet but doesn't seem to be available anymore. Schrader was the OEM vendor.

 

[WALKING TALL]

Thank you sir! That was one of the two sensors that I was looking at on RockAuto. I just needed to be sure that they would work.

 

[MoparMap]

I have Dorman Multi-Fit sensors on my car at the moment. They are programmable with a Dorman tool so you could clone them to your existing codes and not need to reprogram the TPMS itself. Granted, since you already have the DRB III that's probably just as easy. Every once in a while my car is weird and will ding the low tire light shortly after I turn the car on. My understanding from reading the service manual is that it's supposed to mask that fault until it sees at least 20 mph (because the sensors don't turn on till then anyway), but for some reason my car seems to try to read them right away or something. Never have figured it out. I have a DRB III as well (bought after I got the sensors) and have even tried reprogramming it just to confirm they are right, but it just did it to me the other day again.

 

[WALKING TALL]

I have Dorman Multi-Fit sensors on my car at the moment. They are programmable with a Dorman tool so you could clone them to your existing codes and not need to reprogram the TPMS itself. Granted, since you already have the DRB III that's probably just as easy. Every once in a while my car is weird and will ding the low tire light shortly after I turn the car on. My understanding from reading the service manual is that it's supposed to mask that fault until it sees at least 20 mph (because the sensors don't turn on till then anyway), but for some reason my car seems to try to read them right away or something. Never have figured it out. I have a DRB III as well (bought after I got the sensors) and have even tried reprogramming it just to confirm they are right, but it just did it to me the other day again.

I first considered the Dorman sensors that you have mentioned until I realized that I would also have to purchase the tool to program them, and I wasn't sure if the Dorman sensors would actually work on the Viper too.

 

[MoparMap]

I got the kit as a gift many years ago before I had the DRB III. I also have a second set of rims I put on for the track weekend I used to do, so this gave me a good way to have two identical sets so I could more easily swap between them. I can confirm they work and are handy for something like a second set of rims, but if you already have a DRB and only one set to worry about, regular replacements probably make just as much sense. I've got two full clone sets now since my factory ones finally gave up. I was hoping I might be able to somehow remove the potting compound to replace the batteries as well, but this stuff is more like hard curing epoxy and not the softer silicone style conformal coating, so no idea how you might remove it. I was hoping there was some magic chemical out there that would dissolve just in and not everything else, but guessing if it's strong enough to melt the coating that it would likely hurt whatever is under it as well.

 

[WALKING TALL]

I thought of using a soldering iron and go around the edges to melt the softer side of the plastic but was too afraid it would have done damage to the electronics. I did end up destroying the one sensor trying to open it up with a knife, so I figured I would just replace all 4 of the sensors with something that would work and be done. Keep it simple and do the job once. It's good to know there's another alternative like Dorman to use I'll keep that in mind.

 

[prodiver]

I went to 2 different dealers (Dodge) and was told to reset these sensors was $425.00 by one and $500.00 by another one. Why is the cost so high to do this. I been living with the light on for 3 years now.

 

[Old School]

I went to 2 different dealers (Dodge) and was told to reset these sensors was $425.00 by one and $500.00 by another one. Why is the cost so high to do this. I been living with the light on for 3 years now.

I've done this with a DRB3, it takes 3 minutes. Don't feel bad though, had a friend with a Subaru quoted the same price,

 

[MoparMap]

I went to 2 different dealers (Dodge) and was told to reset these sensors was $425.00 by one and $500.00 by another one. Why is the cost so high to do this. I been living with the light on for 3 years now.

The only possible reason I could guess is that you have to have a physical DRB III to do it. The emulators don't talk to the TPMS modules for some reason (I was trying to dig into this a long time ago, but never came up with anything). At this point I'm guessing very few dealers still have one sitting around, though you can rent them. I'm not sure what the cost to rent would be, but it's the only reason I could imagine it would cost so much (renting a unit, paying shipping both ways, etc.). That being said, you might be able to rent one yourself just the same. Might even be cheaper.

 

[eaks]

I guess I should go out and clone my TPMS sensors with my Autel this weekend. Then if I have one fail hopefully one of the programable ones mentioned above can take the info and get me going. Ill do this on the weekend

 

[Old School]

I guess I should go out and clone my TPMS sensors with my Autel this weekend. Then if I have one fail hopefully one of the programable ones mentioned above can take the info and get me going. Ill do this on the weekend

^ this ^ Except you don’t actually have to clone them, just need to read the IDs. Then program the new ones when you need them. I encourage anyone with a GEN3 do this.

 

[eaks]

I havent actually ever used the unit to clone tmps or to read specific IDs (although I know I have seen the IDs when doing anything with the TPMS). On my 911 turbo I used it to program new IDs but this took place in the TPMS brain for the car.

Ill play around with it and ensure that I record the TPMS IDs and ill see if my Autel has a way to store the sensor data internally. Have to do some other work on the car this weekend (im going to bypass the skip shift and remove the reverse lockout solenoid). I always found it incredibly tough to go into reverse with the car but just assumed this was normal for the car. I also have an issue going into 6th gear. It doesn't seem to want to go into 6th right away and takes me a second or two to complete the shift but I expect this is a different issue but will remove the reverse lockout and see how everything else works out).


Update: seems my unit won't read these sensors.. Not sure if i have used my scanner on the viper before but it would detect the Vin with the obd2 dongle and when I entered the vin manually it said invalid Vin.. Tried to manually just activate the sensors and the scanner wouldn't pick any of them up.. There was talk of using a magnet to activate the older style.. I tried to use a magnet as well and the scanner wouldn't pick anything up either.. Not sure what's going on.. Did all Gen 3 vipers have tpms? I've never seen a light or anything and just thought i read that they all have sensors.. Maybe I need to find someone with a Drb3 unit if I ever need new tpms

 

[MoparMap]

It's possible someone has just taken them out if they went bad. As for reading IDs, if they are still in the tires (even if they are dead), they have stickers on them with the IDs, so that's potentially always a backup plan. I managed to pull the numbers off of mine that way, though one of them was a bit messed up and hard to make out. When I got my DRB III I confirmed I had the right numbers. If you don't have the sensors anymore though you should be able to pull the IDs out of the car with a DRB (or maybe some other advanced scan tools), but at that point it might be just as easy to reprogram the TPMS module itself, assuming the scan tool can do it.

 

[eaks]

Yeah it doesn't look like my tool will work with the viper. Under the tmps section it is only displaying the 2010+ viper tmps info. I do expect they have the sensors in the wheels (the valve stems appear to be metal and since I have never seen an error on the dash for TPMS I expect they are still good). Good to know I can steal the IDs off the actual sensors if required. I am wondering if I should try to read the data from them after taking the car for a drive. I just ran out last night when I couldn't sleep and tried it in my garage but the car had been sitting for a week.

Ill try again this weekend when I move my cars around as I have some other work to do on it and will see if I can pull the TMPS data. I also need to look into the obd and why my scanner didn't pickup the car (using my nice Autel unit. I also have a few other smaller handheld cheaper scanners I will try as well).

Will update with my findings.

 

[Old School]

Does your TMPS tool plug in the OBD2 port or read directly from the sensor?

 

[eaks]

It can do both. I tried to read from the obd2 and it wasn't able to read anything from there. then I tried just triggering the TPMS by themselves. These all just failed.

 

[kmagnuss]

I've have issues with some sensors not waking up with the magnet (even though they advertised as should), but this woke those up. The earlier sensors used the magnet, later used RF.

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I bought one of these, expecting that it wouldn't work, but it was only 99 cents so why not give it a whirl.
I couldn't get it to work, but I might not be using the right scan tool either... I borrowed a Snap On D8 (I think that's the model anyway) from a guy at work but couldn't get it to recognize the sensors. Ahh well.

 

[Zishan]

That's awesome! How do you have a DRBIII tool? I thought only dealers had those.

I too have the stupid TPMS light. I went to the tire shop they added new TPMS sensors but then couldn't program them. Sent me to the dealership, the dealership said you need to buy OEM TPMS sensors from us. I think they were $125 bucks a pop. Made no sense, I had new sensors, but they would not even try to program them.

 

[MoparMap]

The DRB IIIs are getting old enough that they pop up on Ebay and other places from time to time. When shops or dealerships close down they'll auction off equipment a lot of times, which is how several likely ended up on the market. I got mine off of Ebay because I plan to keep my car for a long time and wanted to start collecting all the tools I could for it. I have bought several of the Miller specialty tools for stuff like suspension and engine work. The DRB III is nice because it's standalone, so you don't have to worry about licenses or servers or anything like that, but they are getting very long in the tooth and harder and harder to repair, so it's hard to say how long they might still be viable. You can actually rent them from CTC (Controller Technologies Corporation). I believe they were who designed it originally. There is also an emulator that can be used with the newer (but still pretty old by today's standards) WiTech VCI Pod (and maaaaaybe Micropod depending on what model you have, etc.). The one downside with the emulator is it appears that it doesn't talk to the TPMS of all things.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Worst case scenario, customers can send us their TPMS module on exchange, and we can send it back paired with sensors. It's a pain, but better than broken systems and dash warnings