The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is one of the more useful systems on your car especially if you are looking to have something that is constantly monitoring the air pressure in your tires.
Because the Direct TPMS works in a way that is different, it requires a different kind of valve stem compared to the usual valve stem that older car models have.
Can you still replace the TPMS with regular valve stems?
You can replace the valve stem of your TPMS with a regular snap-in valve stem even though the TPMS needs a special valve stem. However, be warned that the warning light on the monitoring system on your dashboard will always be on because of how the sensors won’t be able to monitor the air pressure properly.
The fact that not all cars have a TPMS is the one thing you should know when it comes to replacing the valve stems on your tires with regular valve stems.
If you do, you are simply like any other car that doesn’t rely on a TPMS.
Then again, you are going to be disabling one of the most useful features of your car. But that shouldn’t be a problem as long as you know how to properly monitor your tire pressure yourself.
Do TPMS require special valve stems?
While monitoring your tire pressure has always been one of the most important parts of being a car owner because of how you can possibly endanger yourself and others when you are driving with tires that are low on air pressure, the tire pressure monitoring system or TPMS takes that to the next level.
That’s because the TPMS is capable of accurately monitoring your tire pressure without you having to manually check your tires all the time.
That said, because the TPMS works in a way that is different compared to older cars with older systems of checking the tire pressure, you need to understand that there are some things about the TPMS that are different.
For example, cars that use a Direct TPMS have sensors that are installed in the wheels of the car so that the sensors themselves monitor the air pressure in the tires. And because of this very fact, the valve stems of the TPMS do differ from the other cars.
As compared to other cars, the valve stem of a TPMS uses a special metal valve stem that is connected to the sensor on the other side of the tire and is connected to the wheel.
In that sense, this valve stem is not the same as the usual valve stem that you see in most cars because it was specifically made to be connected to the sensor that the TPMS uses.
Can you replace TPMS with regular valve stems?
Now that you know that the TPMS uses a special kind of valve stem that is connected to the sensors so that the TPMS would actually work properly, you might be wondering if you can actually replace the TPMS valve stems with regular ones that are similar to any other tire out there.
This can be a legitimate question especially if you do end up with TPMS valve stems that have become damaged and you need to replace the valve stems of your tires in a hurry. After all, you probably don’t have enough time or money to replace the TPMS valve stems with the right ones.
So, technically, you can replace the TPMS with regular valve stems.
The only thing you need to bother with is the fact that the light or the warning icon on the monitor on your dashboard will always be on.
That means that the monitor will always be telling you that you need to check your tire pressure or that your sensors are faulty. It can be annoying but that is the price you pay for replacing your TPMS with regular valve stems that are not supposed to work with the sensors on your wheels.
Another thing you need to consider, however, is that the law strictly regulates a retailer when it comes to what they can do to your TPMS.
That’s because the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 USC 30122(b)) states that a retailer can’t “make inoperative” a TPMS.
So, given that provision, what that means is that your mechanic probably won’t be able to replace your TPMS valve stems with regular snap-in valve stems because the act will fall under the “make inoperative” part of the said legal provision.
However, according to the NHTSA, the provision won’t apply if the retailer actually replaces the valve stems with regular snap-in valve stems when the TPMS was already inoperative or damaged before the replacement was done because of the very fact that they can’t make inoperative something that is already inoperative in the first place.
That said, you can only ask your mechanic to replace the valve stems of your TPMS with regular ones if and only if the TPMS was already damaged, leaking air or inoperative.
So, if you don’t know how to replace your tire’s valve stems yourself and your TPMS is still operative, that means that you won’t be able to take your car to the mechanic to replace the valve stems with regular ones because they would be liable to the provisions of the Motor Safety Act.
Are all TPMS valve stems the same?
Now that you know that there are risks involved when it comes to replacing your TPMS valve stems with regular valve stems, you might be looking at a valve stem replacement that is compatible with your car’s TPMS.
In that regard, are all TPMS valve stems the same in with one another?
No, not all TPMS valve stems are the same. That’s because it still is up to the company that manufactured the TPMS on your car when it comes to the valve that they are using.
Some TPMS valve stems vary from one tire to another as there are some that are built with different metals such as aluminum or brass while some have different sizes.
It still all depends on the manufacturer but there are some TPMS valve stems that are considered “universal” because they fit most tires.
Sources
Askinglot.com: Can you replace TPMS with regular valve stems?
JK Forum: Replace to normal valve
