I have a 2013 Cooper S Convertible and I'm looking to buy a used set of winters already mounted on wheels. A seller has a set that will fit my car, but they were for a 2006 and do not have TPMS on them.

The question is, is it OK to run these on my car? Will this somehow void a MINI warranty or something? I understand the TPMS light will be on while these are on the car, but I don't get inspections until August and would have my original 3 season tires and wheels on at that point, with the TPMS sensors. Would putting my original wheels and tires back on the car in March/April just reset the TPMS system or would I have to do something else?

The tires I'm interested in are run-flats, so I'm not super concerned about not having TPMS from a safety perspective. I'm very meticulous with my cars and I check the pressure on my tires regularly regardless of TPMS or not. I would also think I'd notice a sudden loss of pressure (wouldn't need a sensor for that).

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

 

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For reference purposes, I figured I should post what I found out.

Turns out it's fine to run non-TPMS tires/wheels and will NOT void any warranty, verified with a Service Advisor at MINI of Peabody.

The only issue is if you are running with non TPMS tires/wheels when you go for a safety inspection. Automatic failure if the TPMS warning light is on.

Maybe this can help someone out there! Happy Motoring!

 

According to the NHTSA, it is illegal for a service provider to install wheels without TPMS sensors on a vehicle that uses them. In my experience, nobody listens to them, but I thought I'd mention it.

http://www.autocarepro.com/Article/9...questions.aspx

 

Good point! I actually did NOT ask if they would install them. I inquired about a set of wheels and tires that were setup for an '06 that did NOT have the TPMS system.

I was going to just put them on the car myself. Since the tires were already mounted on the wheels, there would be no law breaking.

In the end I decided not to purchase these as I think the light always being on would make me a little bonkers and this car is brand new to me and I figure I should at least try a winter with the stock tires. I'll probably end up getting some for Winter 2014!

 

Without pressure monitors you won't be able to tell when a runflat tire is going flat. They are not indestructable.

 

If you have the factory summer tyres around MINI of Peabody you won't manage the first snowstorm. The all-seasons are OK, but real snows are well worth it around here. What's on your car?

 

It'll be just fine if you can deal with the light. Do it.

 

3 of my cars run winter tires without sensors (non-MINI's). No problems other than the light being on. In NY it is not a fail for the TPS light to be on. I'm sure some of those cars were inspected with TPS light on. Emission light is different.

 

No sensors are fine with non-runflats. If you end up running on a runflat with no air it will not be fine.