We have a late build 2007 MCS w/ the direct valve sensor TPMS flat tire monitoring system. Our winter tires (Blizzak LM25 RFT) just arrived mounted on wheels w/ TPMS installed. We now have 2 sets of tires & wheels (summer and winter) each with their own TPMS. How does the MINI deal with 2 sets of TPMS? If anybody has done this too, I'm wondering:

1) When I change over to the winter set for the first time, do I just mount the winter set and re-initialize the FTM system? Do I have to re-initialize the FTM system in the spring when I mount the summer tires, or does the MINI automatically memorize and recognize the old TPMS sensors?

2) What is the effective range of the FTM wireless system? When I go to re-initialize the FTM for the winter TPMS, how far away do I have to move the summer TPMS?

3) Once I swap out to the winter tires and re-initialize the winter TPMS. Can I store the summer tires w/ their TPMS in the garage next to the MINI, or is that going to confuse the FTM sensors in the car because there are now 8 TPMS in close proximity to the car?

 

1. When change sets you will have to reset the TPMS. It's easy to do and detailed in your manual.

2. Good question.

 

I would think the range wouldn't be that far. With the new rules about tpms, it will be quite likely that some families will have 2 cars with the same type of tpms. Also what would happen at MINI meets with dozens of Minis with TPMS running together.

 

A typical 'wireless' TPMS system works much like a modern garage door opener. Rather than signals being encrypted for security, the signals are made unique and repeatable from each sensor. The vehicle has a small centrally located receiver that picks up the signals from the sensors. The system does not know where each signal is coming from by default, you have to 'train' it to recognize a particular signal as coming from a specific tire position. Many of these systems are sensitive enough to pick up signals from nearby cars, but will ignore them since their unique identifiers are not coded into the system. Since I dont have an '07 MINI, but have an '07 truck with a similar system, I dont know the specifics on how MINI 'learns' the tire positions. In the truck, you initiate a relearn by picking a menu item in the onboard info center. You then slightly deflate each tire according to the position the system is prompting for. The system finds the one particular sensor that is at the moment showing the change, and assigns it to the position. repeated three more times and the system is programmed. If the tires are rotated, you have to do the process again. This is the same method used on the aftermarket Hella TPMS system (which is what many OEMs base their TP sensor systems around).

 

Is it possible to run a set of wheels on a later-build 07 MCS (with direct TPMS) without the valve sensors and not get a constant warning light on the dash?

 

What a pain. I'm sure glad I got my MINI before they switched over. It sure would be nice if there was some way to completely disable the system. My next car that'll surely be a factor in my decision.

 

As I read through this post by smackboy1, It suddenly dawned on me with my problem resetting my TPMS in my '07 MCS. As some may recall, I think I was the 1st person to report getting these "new" TPM's on my new car. I have two complete sets of wheels and tires, one for summer and one for winter. I just changed over to my OEM wheels recently, for winter is here, and I had a problem resetting my monitor. It kept acting weird. Everytime I started the car, inside my garage, the TPMS sensor warning kept comming on. I checked and rechecked everything, my tire pressure was good. Needless to say, I'm getting pissed at this overcomplicated, way overpriced, p.o.s.! I had problems getting sensors in the 1st place, and the place I got them from charged me $255 (my dealer is walking distance away and hand delivered them for $235). All I could think was, I got a defective (or multiple) sensors. S**T! When you buy these sensors, how do you really know if they are good? I had the new sensors reinstalled in my OEM wheels to replace the originals that were put in my new custom wheels. The OEM wheels, with the new sensors, sat for a little over 2 months in my garage before I used them. "If" they are bad, am I going to go through another major hassle getting it taken care off? What is the policy? What is the waranty? Who do I go through? The tire shop or the Mini dealer who got the parts? So many darn questions for this way overpriced, overcomplicated, mandatory, system, that STILL requires me to check my tires with a proper guage, just as I have always done in the past. How is this $$$$$, it has costed me, for a TPMS, benefit me whatsoever? If it malfunctions, in any way, NOT due to ANY low pressure conditions in my tires, they will NOT pass my car for inspection!
I can go on and on about how much I despise this b.s. but it's pointless. It is here, written in the law.

But anyway, after reading this, it hit me. I was storing my wheels leaning against the nearby wall, less than 2 feet away, and trying to reset my TPMS. That is probably what was giving me the problems I was having.
Wow! Thanks smackboy1!

Why could they have not used something like this, for monitoring tire pressures? Or, at least, show me the exact pressure in every tire on my readout, for all the money it has costed me?
__________________________________________________ _________

For only $34.95, for 4 tires, you can monitor the pressure without an expensive tire pressure monitoring system.
http://www.lowtirepressure.com/
__________________________________________________ _________

Being the type of person I am, I have to know exactly how it does work.
Here's what I came up with, in another site:
__________________________________________________ ________
[I found this story to be disturbing, so I decided to ask about it. Here is what transpired.]
I hope that this will help with your question. I asked Jay Poparad which
is the Sr. Product Design Engineer and this is his response.
Gary Watlington
Schrader-Bridgeport
Technical Service Manager
Phone: 434-369-xxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: Altavista - Jay Poparad
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 11:25 AM
To: Altavista - Gary Watlington
Cc: Altavista - David Weber; Altavista - Dave Veninga
Subject: RE: question about TPM system
When a TPMS sensor transmits to the vehicle ECU it sends a data stream.
Along with the tire pressure, battery condition and temperature (in some
cases), one of the bits of information in that data stream is the
individual serial number of the sensor. When the sensor is initially
learned and the ECU is programmed at the OEM, the individual serial
number of the sensor is how the ECU registers the sensors tire position
(LF, RF, RR, LR). During normal operation, if a sensor from vehicle "A"
is transmitting the ECU in vehicle "B" will not recognize that signal,
because it is not associated with a registered serial number in the ECU
of vehicle "B". This is also the reason that the sensors require
relearning when the position of the sensor is changed (eg. tire
rotation). The ECU needs to re-register the sensor locations.
The only way that the ECU of vehicle "B" could pick up the signal
transmitted by a sensor from vehicle "A" is if both vehicles are in
learn mode and the sensors are being relearned simultaneously, and the
vehicles are in close proximity to one another.
I hope this helps you understand the mechanism of the sensor
transmission and ECU reception. Please feel free to call or email me
with further questions.
Jay
Jay Poparad
Sr. Product Design Engineer
Schrader-Bridgeport Int'l Inc.
__________________________________________________ ______

Here's some other interesting (somewhat disturbing, like cell phone tracking even if it's off) info I found in my search:
Tracking Automobiles Through their Tires
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archive...ng_automo.html

Tracking people through their sneakers
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archive...ng_people.html
"As long as the chips have unique IDs, those IDs can be used for surveillance."

Reminds me of the movie, "the Minority Report". Were so close to it now, tracking all, and everything that we do.

Sorry for all the ranting, and again thanks smackboy1 for setting off my litebulb above my tiny little brain, and fixing one, of my many, mysteries of life and the fast times.

 

Great post - would be even more helpful if we had part numbers (or substitute part numbers) and pricing for future reference.

 

Isn't this going to be mandatory on all cars starting sometime soon?

What I don't understand is why it can't be integrated into the valve stem caps so it doesn't have to be an issue inside the tire. Maybe that will be a workaround that some clever enterprising young person might come up with.

 

TPMS thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=112690
Picture from Lateral G.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...tpms_parts.JPG
Sensor
Part# : 36 23 6 781 847
Accy kit
Part# : 36 11 1095 374
Last known price by me (don't know if it's different now)
$235 for complete set of four (my Mini dealers price). I recall the price from Tirerack being cheaper, but don't recall where exactly I seen it.

The TREAD Act made it mandatory for automobile manufacturers to include dashboard low-tire-pressure were first required in 10% of new vehicles in 2004, increasing to 100% of new vehicles by 2007.

There is, and has been, tons of valve stem cap type pressure monitors on the market, just like the one I previously pointed out above. The problem with them is, they do not transmit a uniquely identifiable RFID (4 of them actually, per car) that can be tracked easily by sensor pickups mounted in curbs, roads, enteranceways, or intersections. Just imagine all those who would benefit from this info, just having the code(s) on file, such as insurance companies. The possibilities are endless!

They already monitor gazillions of phone calls, emails, etc.,...don't they?

 

Glad to see that my ignorance has benefited somebody

BTW, I just switched over to the winter tires and reset the FTM system away from the summer wheels, driving around the block. I have had no TPMS problems and store the summer wheels in the same garage as the MINI without issue.

 

Yeah, it is mandatory. I dont think is has to be the stupid pressure sensors, the ABS encoders work just fine. I was just hoping that cars might come with the systems and then give you the option to just completely deactivate it and use cheap valve stems.

 

Wow, what a raging PIA.:impatient
So is there a real safety issue here, or did the TPMS manufacturers buy a few politicians. It seems the ABS based system performs the same function with lower cost and less hassle. I always rotate my tires. I rarely get a flat. Are tire shops now going to stop offering free rotations if they have to go through that type of rigamarole? Yuck.