I hope someone can answer this, as I've never heard of it. I just picked up my Week 32 production MCS on Friday and I want to get aftermarket wheels. My MA told me that the Tire Pressure Monitoring system is new on my car and that it mimics the BMW system. He said the valve stems in my Crown Spokes are plastic and that the new tire pressure monitoring system uses them to monitor the tire pressure. He said that if I wanted to get aftermarket wheels, I'd have to swap out the valve stems into the new wheels. Is this true? Has anyone heard about this yet? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Yes, it is true.
We had a customer with a new R56 MCS that bought the R105 JCW wheel/tire package and the sensors had to be swapped over to the new wheels.
How/if they will fit in an aftermarket wheel? Can't say for sure.

 

Yeah, that's what I was afraid someone would say. I guess I need to call the guys at TireRack to see if the valve stems are going to fit the wheels I want. They have a hexagon shaped nut molded into them, so I don't see any problem gettin them off. What a pain . I really want black wheels with the chrome lip. I hope it will work. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

If it makes you feel any better, the sensors went right in the JCW wheels with no problem.
Also, one one of the techs out here has swapped them to aftermarket wheels on a BMW before.

 

Thanks PARTSMAN. I really hope they swap out. I really want to get black wheels with the chrome lip. I almost bought them before I had the car, but I decided to wait. I'll be calling TireRack today.

 

You're welcome. Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

 

edge racing put new sensors in my tires... or at least i think they did? I had the tire light go on and sure enough, one of my tires was around 6lbs lower than the rest. Go edge racing!

 

I don't think there is a pressure sensor in the wheel. From page 56 of the manual: "If a tire loses pressure its rolling radius changes and this in turn alters the speed of rotation. This alteration is detected and reported as a puncture."

The car just monitors the rate of rotation (like the R53) and reports a problem if one side is rotating at a different speed than the other for a long enough time. It does not need anything special in the wheel so you can use any aftermarket wheel and not worry about special valve stems.

aem421: either your MA has no idea or is trying to make you buy wheels from him and not a less expensive dealer.

 

R53 measured the rate of rotation through the ABS sensor and tone ring.

 

The R56s that are being built now have the sensors in the wheels. The earlier production R56s used the wheel speed sensors like the '02-'06 MINIs.

 

When did that change? I have a July build and am glad I don't have to worry about limiting the wheels I can use.

 

The date mandated by the US Govt. was September 1st. Any vehicles built after that date had to have tire pressure sensors. They cannot use the rolling radius method anymore.

 

It's only been in the past week that people started to post about receiving cars with the new sensors. See this thread. The sensors can be installed on the vast majority of aftermarket wheels by replacing the stem, but fairly expensive ($60 per wheel).

 

Here's what my valve stems look like...




Anyone else have these? My MA said my MCS has the new BMW tire monitoring system. Valve stems are all plastic

 

WHAT!!!!!!!! Is that seriously true? I KNOW my car has switched wheels and no issues at all. Does anyone know the exact date of change? I knew the feds required monitoring of the tire pressure but I never understood they mandated a particular technology. I would think (again not know) that the method that doesn't require battery replacements etc. would be the superior choice right? This stinks!

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=83871

 

Yup, that's what I have. The Direct TPMS with the valve sensor. I'm told all I have to do is swap out the valve sensors. All I have to do is call TireRack and make sure this is possible with the wheels I want. I'll let everyone know. I'll be calling them soon. Thanks again PARTSMAN

 

Well, there's no requirement for a particular technology, but they've either changed or are about to change the requirements for the sensitivity/accuracy of the TPMS system, and the indirect method used on the earlier MINIs can't meet the new requirements.

Under the old specs, the TPMS only had to warn you when one or more tires were 25% below the pressure listed on the doorjamb placard. I think the new specs tighten the threshold to 20%, and might require some kind of warning if multiple tires are underinflated, even if no single tire is more than 20% underpressured.

 

actually other way around I believe. Old system did 20% while new does 25%. What I dont get is how will you deal with winter tires or having multiple sets?

 

UPDATE:

I talked to the guys at TireRack. If you have the new monitoring system, you are going to have to swap out the sensors and valve stems into the new wheels. You need to check to make sure this is possible on the new wheel. For the ones I want, it is possible .

If you want to have two sets of wheels, you'll have to order the new sensors with the new wheels or get them from the dealer and make sure they will work with the new wheels. TireRack is in the process of getting the new sensors so you can order them with the new wheels. However, they'll cost anywhere from $25 to $100 each, depending on what kind of car you have! . I'm just going to have mine swapped into the new wheels.

Also, these sensors are battery powered. The batteries will need to be replaced at some point. That means removing the tire, replacing the battery, then getting everything balanced again. What a PITA!

Oh well, that's the price you pay for technology.

 

how about just not having the system, is it really necessary for non-RF tires? Seems easier.

 

If you just ordered yours then I'm pretty sure you'll have the new monitoring system. I ordered mine on June 30th and had Production Week 31 and I have it.

 

I guess i meant, having it, but no using it. I dont even get how this is all connected. Are there wires going from your car to your tires?

 

You pretty much don't have a choice unless you like seeing the stupid yellow symbol on the speedometer light up all the time.

There are wireless sensors inside each wheel. They transmit a signal to a base inside the car that tells it what's going on with the wheels. It can measure air pressure as well as tire temperature. Pretty crazy, I know.

I'd rather not have it myself either. I can check my on tire pressure thank you

 

also while at Pepboys i noticed and after market set for about 99.00 which include sensors (didnt open box but looked like you screwed on caps to exsisting stems) and a plug in adaptor to monitor the system via the lighter,