How to remove TPMS sensors without removing tire? (Solved)

The TPMS sensors are some of the most useful devices you can have on your car because of how they are able to help you monitor your tire sensors without the need for you to manually do so.

However, there are times when you might want to remove the sensors such as when they are malfunctioning and the TPMS light just won’t turn off. That said, how do you remove the TPMS sensors without removing the tires themselves?

Removing TPMS sensors without removing tires

Unfortunately, there is no way for you to remove the TPMS sensor without removing the tire. That’s because the sensor is located inside the tire and is mounted on the rim of the wheels. As such, conventional wisdom would say that you have to remove the tire for you to be able to reach the sensor.

TPMS Valve Stem

As much as some of you may want to try to remove the TPMS sensors yourselves for one reason or another, the thing you need to understand is that you can’t do so unless you actually remove the tires.

Of course, removing the tires takes a lot of work as well, and that is why this should be something that you need to leave up to a mechanic.

Can I remove my TPMS sensors without removing the tire?

The tire pressure monitoring system or TPMS is a useful system that most cars today have as this system is capable of giving you a real-time feed of your tire’s air pressure.

And the reason why the TPMS can do so is due in large part to the sensors that are individually located in each wheel of your car.

Essentially, the sensors are the ones that read the air pressure and then send the readings to the system on your dash board.

That said, as useful as the TPMS sensors may be, there might be some of us here who would want to remove the sensors for one reason or another.

It could be due to a defect in one of the sensors and you are looking to DIY your way out of it by replacing the old sensor yourself. Or maybe perhaps you changed your car’s tires and you want to keep the old sensor and reuse it in the new tires.

Of course, there’s also the possibility of wanting to remove the sensors because you want the system to stop working.

Whatever your reasons may be, your goal here is to probably look for an easy and efficient way to remove the TPMS sensors in your tires. And the most probable thing you are looking for is a way to remove the sensors without actually removing the tires.

So, is it even possible for you to remove the TPMS sensors without removing the tires?

Unfortunately, there is no way for you to remove the TPMS sensors without having to remove the tires. The reason for this is due to how the TPMS sensors are mounted onto the tires. Your sensors are located inside the tires themselves and not simply on them. And, most likely, the sensors are mounted on the rim of the wheels such that it will be impossible for you to remove them without having to go through the tires themselves.

All that said, because of the location of the TPMS sensors and how the entire system is built to install the sensors on the rims inside the tires themselves, you won’t be able to find a way to remove the sensors without having to remove the tires.

Technically, you can do so but you’d have to destroy the tires to get to the sensors. Either way, there is no easy fix here as you would have to get the tires out of the way for you to even reach the sensors.

How to remove TPMS sensors without removing the tire?

As mentioned, you cannot remove the TPMS sensors without removing the tires. It simply is not possible for you to do so without having to go through the tires.

That means that there is no cheap way for you to DIY your way out of this situation regardless of what your reasons may be for wanting to remove your TPMS sensors.

That said, if you do want your TPMS sensors removed for one reason or another, the only way for you to do so is to go to a mechanic to have the sensors removed.

Then again, retailers are not allowed under the law to make inoperative a working TPMS. They are only allowed to remove the sensors of a TPMS if the TPMS is faulty or damaged or if the sensors need to be replaced.

All that said, you won’t be able to have your TPMS sensors removed unless you want them replaced or switched to your car’s new wheels.

But removing them for the sake of removing them without even taking apart the tires is something you can’t do or expect someone else to do.

How to transfer TPMS sensors to new wheels?

So, if your goal to remove the TPMS sensors was to transfer them to new wheels, we have a quick rundown of how you can transfer the TPMS sensors to new wheels.

Take note, however, that you need to have a mechanic remove the old wheels first if you want to transfer the sensors to new ones.

  • Take the valve cap off of the tires to release the air pressure. This will allow you to easily remove the sensors.
  • From there, you should break the seal on the tires by pressing down on the tires on the side.
  • Go and get a wrench and fit the wrench in the sockets to loosen the nuts. Pull off all of the nuts and washers and then pull the TPMS out of the old wheels.
  • Go and get the TPMS sensors and bring them to the new wheels. Mount them in such a way that you simply reverse the process of dismounting them from the old wheels but make sure you don’t damage the tires in the process of doing so.
  • Guide the sensor back in place by using the washers and nuts that you removed from it when you removed the sensor from the old tires.
  • Tighten the TPMS sensor in place by using a pin that would make sure that the sensor is held firm on the new wheels/
  • From there, use your socket to tighten the sensor in position.
  • Reinstall the tire back in place. You can use soap to rub around the rim of the tires so that it will be easy to slide the tire back in place.
  • Use a compressor to fill your tire with air and to make sure that the tires are sealed and ready to go.

Check out this great video on how to transfer the TPMS sensors to new tires.

Sources

Jackdromey.org: How to transfer TPMS sensors to new wheels

Quora: Remove TPMS sensor without removing tire

Corvetteforum.com: Remove TPMS without removing tire

F150forum.com: Remove TPMS without dismounting tires