Where are the tire sensors in the 07 Mini S? I thought they were in the valve stem, but mine seem to be the normal rubber stems.

 

I think week 31 and earlier cars have indirect (sensorless / ABS-based) TPMS and week 32+ cars have direct (valve stem sensors) TPMS. What is your production week?

 

Anwser is here:

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

 

How do I determine my production week?

 

The direct sensors sound like a pain when choosing after market wheels.

 

See this thread.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=111025

 

Mine must have the indirect sensors so replacing the wheels/tires should have no effect as far as the sensors go, I guess.

 

Yup, if you don't have the funny valve stems, you lucked out.

 

I'm not sure I'd call that luck... Personally, I'd much rather have the newer TPMS set up that monitors the "actual" pressure (vs. simple axle rotational differences) in each tire individually. I have no intentions on ever replacing the OEM rims on my MINI and so I'd much rather have the better pressure monitoring system.

 

The new sensors are also problematic if you want to run non-runflat tires because you cannot use goop or other tire repair liquids. So, you would have to carry a spare somewhere, or take a greater risk of getting stuck with a flat tire.

If you are happy with heavy stock wheels and harsh riding runflat tires, fine. I'm not. I've switched several times between the stock 22.5 lb. Crown Spoke wheels with Dunlap runflats, and <16 lb. CenterLine RPM wheels with Michelin Pilot Exhalto PE2 non-runflats. There is a big difference in ride and handling. When I'm running the Crown Spokes, I can't wait to get back to the CenterLines.

I've had the "simple axle rotational differences" system alert me of a low tire pressure. My MCS had been sitting for six weeks while I recovered from surgery. The tire was only a few lbs. low. Seems to work well. I wonder how reliable and accurate the wheel sensors will be. Too early to tell, I suppose.

 

I don't think there's any evidence that direct monitoring is "better" than indirect. As mentioned above, the Mini indirect system seems to be quite sensitive.

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

In my eyes I'd much rather be able to see the actual pressure of each individual tire (hopefully MINI has integrated this into the OBC or into the nav system as other manufacturers have) than have to get out my tire gauge and manually check the pressures all the time.

And yes, I am totally happy with the OEM rims and run flats. It's my wife's car and since it doesn't have a spare, I wouldn't dare allow her to drive without the run flats.

Also, we've been down this road a MILLION times before and there's just no way in hell that an "average" street driver of a MINI would be able to tell any difference whatsoever between the heavier (and MUCH stronger) stock rims and ones that are lighter so let's not even go there. Tires are of course a different story all together.

 

Another possible reason for wanting the new TPMS:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=115574

 

You are lucky as am I

 

I agree with you, Robin.
For years I never had run flats nor sensors.
So having the indirect type is an improvement.
Having the less problematic type that has been on the MINI for 5 years to me is proven, and I can choose any aftermarket wheels I like. Less hassle, and simplicity/ That is what the MINI experience should be.

 

Too bad the TPMS doesn't do that.

Yea, your wife has to drive it. What do you care how harsh the ride is?

I don't agree about the wheels. However, the TPMS seems to limit one's choice of tires to runflats. Or, buy a 5th wheel and tire.

 

The issue I have with the older indirect system is what if both front tires develop a leak at the same time, same rate? I know, what are the chances, but it could happen. In this case the sensor would not know since it's monitoing wheel rotation, not the psi.

Now I agree that the new TPMS should display the actual psi, but since it's not a requirement by law MINI opt'ed not to give us detailed information.

Why? You only destory the valve stem sensor which costs $15 by using these types of repair kits. So you need a new tire and a new sensor.

 

To each his/her own. I'd personally rather have the new sensors than not.

I could care less about how they affect the changing out the rims as we have no plans on switching ours (been down that road before when I was a kid and I'm over it now - I'll leave the rim swaps, ground effect kits, and basketball sized exhaust tips to the teenie boppers in the group). Also, seeing as all new cars are required to have the newer sensors, I'm more than sure that rim makers will take this into consideration when making their rims (i.e. you'll be able to get aftermarket rims that will work just fine with the TPMS sensors).

As for the ride quality... My wife's new R56 (with runflats) absolutely blows away the ride of her old 2005 R53. It's a night and day difference (and it completely runs circles around my R53 with the horrible ride-crushing JCW suspension kit on it!). We couldn't be happier with the way the car rides and thus we have no reason whatsoever to have to go out and blow good money on different rims/tires. We're happy with it just the way it is. I'm sorry you are not.

Again though, to each his/her own, different strokes for different folks, and all that.

 

Well, if you think about it, we all got along with no tire pressure sensors of any kind a few years ago. The "low tire pressure sensor" was a visual inspection ever so often.

 

Are you sure about that? It is measuring all four wheels. It would have to be a very stupid implementation to only compare front with front and back with back. The logical way to do it would be set the spin ratio for all four and send up a flag when there was any change to that ratio.

For example, use one wheel as the standard. Calculate a ratio for each other wheel to that wheel. If any of the ratios go off, send up a flag. That way, you could have three tires lose air at the same rate and still get the alert.

However, if you lose air at the same rate in all four, it wont tell you about it.

Yea, that is a disappointment. It will probably be a $500 option in a future version.

IIRC, Someone (I think it was Alex from Tire Rack) posted that goop wont get past the sensor and into the tire. So, even if you were willing to destroy the sensor, it still wouldn't work. I thought someone posted that their MINI dealer was charging $60 ea. for sensors. Did I confuse that?

According to Tire Rack, TPSM systems don't alert you until there is a 25-30% loss of pressure. So, you really can't rely on them for maintaining good pressure. Perhaps the reason that MINI doesn't display pressures is that the devices are not sensitive enough to make that worthwhile.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=44
Scroll down to "Concerns".

 

True, but look how many lives could have been saved with this system during the whole Ford Exploder debacle.

 

D'oh!

So true...

 

I'm not sure how reliable Tire Rack's assessment is as it pertains to the MINI (i.e. is it just a generalized statement for all TPMS and could it be possible that BMW/MINI made their system/sensors better)? However, your pointing out that MINI not showing the actual tire pressures in real time could indeed be an indicator of this. Maybe the system is great at alerting you of a flat, but not good enough to be used as a real time pressure monitor. Nice observation.

 

You have to let me know what you use to clean those stock wheels. The hours I've spent cleaning my stupid s-winders would have bought me some easier to clean wheels months ago. I guess I don't dare swap them out now, though, wouldn't want to be thought of as a "teenie bopper."

 

You have to be old to recall the term "teenie bopper".

Since I recall it, and have two sets of wheels (none of which are OEM), it must mean I'm going through my second teenie bopperhood.