I am setting up a second set of tires to switch back and forth from - some Michelin Defenders and some larger KO2s. Tire place wants $260 for four clone sensors - some 7007 HP Redi sensors. For the same price I can get 4 OEM sensors… Does anybody have a reliable source for some cheaper TPMS sensors?
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TLC2013
SILVER Star
Summit Racing or amazon for the Denso equivalent OEM TPMs. Typically around $35 a piece. I have used them in a couple sets for the last 5 years without any issues.
bloc
SILVER Star
This, only I'd be careful with amazon, a few people here have gotten counterfeits. I got my last set on RockAuto and they are working great.
Note that you will need to program the vehicle for each set of codes when you switch wheels, if you use OEM style transmitters. This requires techstream or a carista module and temp subscription to their app.
- Thread starter
- #4
So is it more beneficial to use a quality clone type TPMS vs and OEM type? If such a thing exists. I had two sensors replaced last year on my original set of tires and Discount Tire used clones and I think charged me about 65/sensor… looking back it seems I overpaid…
bloc
SILVER Star
I will always advocate for OEM-level quality. And, with clones depending on where you store your spare set of tires/wheels you may have to prevent both sets being picked up at the same time by the vehicle.
If it motivates you to get a diagnostic tool that could prove very useful later.. running OE-style is another win.
FWIW I found it easier to get a Autel TPMS tool (MaxiTPMS TS508). It was under $125 and I've used it on many other cars. I can walk around to each wheel and read each sensor. Then plug into OBD port and program the LX570. Works great and way more convenient than the many visits to discount tire to have them get things right. Also works on my other cars. I swap out wheels twice a year when I switch to a dedicated snow setup. It also reads battery life, etc and apparently can program the programmable TPMS sensors although I've never done it.
bloc
SILVER Star
Keep in mind carista or especially techstream has the huge added benefit of doing diagnostics on your vehicle.
This post reminded me there is a new Carista device, the Carista EVO. Can’t find much difference as far as features between it and the original. Some 3rd party sites say it’s “4x faster and uses 10x less power”. It’s 30% off right now on Carista website, so if you don’t have one at all probably worth it, not sure if it’s worth it if you already have a dongle.
bloc
SILVER Star
Good find. I will say the original Carista module is quite slow, even if it works very reliably.
Unless you buy a TPMS Tool like the Autel or Carista (or Techstream) options, the potentially expensive part isn't the sensors, it's the labor that may be charged to program them. Unless you're going to buy a way to program them, saving $20 ea on the sensors isn't a good deal if you have to then take them somewhere to program them. Also, in my experience, if you bring your own sensors, if anything goes wrong with programming, the installer will blame the sensor and then sell you their own anyway.
$260 for four cloned sensors installed sounds about right. Figure $40 ea for the sensors and $100 for an hour to program them. If they clone them to your other sensors you won't have to reprogram the IDs into the computer every time you swap.
$260 for four cloned sensors installed sounds about right. Figure $40 ea for the sensors and $100 for an hour to program them. If they clone them to your other sensors you won't have to reprogram the IDs into the computer every time you swap.
gaijin
GOLD Star
I had the original Carista module and it worked well with both diagnostics and feeding data to the OBD Fusion App on my iPhone with only occasional disconnects.
Always a sucker for "new/better" I bought the new Carista EVO module.
There is a big difference in speed and reliability of connectivity with OBD Fusion. The App on my iPhone connects much faster to the EVO and maintains connection 100%. I have only tested some of the diagnostics so far, but all I have tested are noticeably faster.
Works for me.
HTH
Does that mean you are going to try out the new one? I bought 'the newest" Veepeak a while back to see if it was faster than a Carista and it wasn't. Safe Amazon purchase that I was easily able to return. Not sure i want to do the same with the Carista as it may be harder to return and after the Veepeak test and my NanoVCX (Techstream dongle) don't appear to be any faster than the Carista. I have a feeling the vehicle interface is what is slow. Be interesting to see how fast a fully registered copy of Techstream on a properly built OS runs compared to all this 3rd party dongles.
I guess i spoke too soon...maybe I can sell my old one in the classifeds.
gaijin
GOLD Star
The EVO is selling at a reduced price on Amazon now (Carista EVO on Amazon) so returning it should be no problem if you are not satisfied. At US$56 I think it's at least worth a try...
HTH
Yep, I did a quick search before ordering direct and the Amazon price is the same as Carista direct because Carista's $49 price didn't include shipping. Being sold by a 3rd party, so gives a little pause, but it was still Prime Eligible.
FWIW, I have a few of the OBD tools as well (OBDLinkMX+, Carista, and Veepeak). Maybe this is obvious to all but with those you can read and set the sensor IDs on the car. So if you know the sensor IDs for the wheels you are mounting, you can key them into the app and then program the car. You have to keep them written down somewhere - or take a screen shot. This is what it looked like in Carista.
Another option is to have the shop mounting your new sensors clone the IDs from the sensors in your other set of wheels and then when you swap, there shouldn't be any issues. Your truck sees the same sensor IDs and you don't need Carista or anything else. Simple swap in theory. Maybe it is the shop I used but this didn't work for me. Every time I swapped wheels I had to head over to the tire shop and have someone with a tool run around the car, read the IDs, and then program the vehicle.
But with the OBD route, you can't do a thing with the sensors themselves. That's where a reader/programmer comes into play. I've never tried to program a sensor (maybe I don't have programmable ones) but my routine is:
- mount the other set of wheels
- put the tpms tool into learning mode and select my vehicle in the menus
- follow prompts on tool, walking around the vehicle to each wheel to read the sensor ids
- plug into obd port and program the vehicle with the sensor ids just read
Yeah it is a dedicated tool for the job. But with the lack of hassle and time it has saved me, it has paid off in my mind. Maybe you can do this with techstream?
Another option is to have the shop mounting your new sensors clone the IDs from the sensors in your other set of wheels and then when you swap, there shouldn't be any issues. Your truck sees the same sensor IDs and you don't need Carista or anything else. Simple swap in theory. Maybe it is the shop I used but this didn't work for me. Every time I swapped wheels I had to head over to the tire shop and have someone with a tool run around the car, read the IDs, and then program the vehicle.
But with the OBD route, you can't do a thing with the sensors themselves. That's where a reader/programmer comes into play. I've never tried to program a sensor (maybe I don't have programmable ones) but my routine is:
- mount the other set of wheels
- put the tpms tool into learning mode and select my vehicle in the menus
- follow prompts on tool, walking around the vehicle to each wheel to read the sensor ids
- plug into obd port and program the vehicle with the sensor ids just read
Yeah it is a dedicated tool for the job. But with the lack of hassle and time it has saved me, it has paid off in my mind. Maybe you can do this with techstream?
bloc
SILVER Star
I’ll probably give the new one a go and pass the old one on to a friend.
So this confirms the Carista app works with third party adapters?
Also no techstream can’t read codes, other than what was already programmed into the vehicle. But as long as the user has a high quality adapter (VCx nano, etc. MiniVCI will not do this job) yes it’ll program known codes into the vehicle easily.
And by all means get both.. I’m just of the belief that if someone is having to choose between the two tools a diagnostic one that can also program TPMS is a better jump-off point.
So this confirms the Carista app works with third party adapters?
Also no techstream can’t read codes, other than what was already programmed into the vehicle. But as long as the user has a high quality adapter (VCx nano, etc. MiniVCI will not do this job) yes it’ll program known codes into the vehicle easily.
And by all means get both.. I’m just of the belief that if someone is having to choose between the two tools a diagnostic one that can also program TPMS is a better jump-off point.
Agreed, anyone who has a 200 and doesn't have an OBD2 tool for viewing and resetting codes is setting themselves up for failure. If you want to get a tool specific to programming for TMPS sensors, then great, but everyone "needs" the OBD2 tool.
It does not work with the Veepeak I have. I haven't tried with the OBDLinkMX. Of course it works with the Carista dongle.
