TPMS battery life?

viking31 · 11-30-2006, 12:34 PM

I have only had my 2006 for about 10 months or so but I am on track for about 28,000 miles/year of use. I expect the OEM tires to last to about 40,000 miles or so which will put me at a year and half or so of use of the Prius.

But since the TPMS sensors use a battery for power, what type of battery life can one expect from the TPMS monitors? Are the batteries used common and fairly inexpensive? If so it would seem logical to replace them each time I get new tires if the batteries are cheap. Perhaps it may be more cost effective to replace them with each set of new tires rather than to wait for a sensor to go dead on a tire which still has life left on it.

Whad'ya think?

BTW, I was initially wary of the TPMS system and thought I was pretty good at spotting when a tire gets low from a nail or sorts, but the last time I got a nail the TPMS alerted me first before I noticed the tire getting low. Like it!!

Rick
#4 2006

eagle33199 · 11-30-2006, 12:41 PM

I believe it's been said that the batteries can last quite a long time... I'm sure galaxee can chime in here with some more accurate data.

From what we've seen with the TPMS system, it doesn't query the sensors every second, as people have had tires replaced and not had the light go on for 3 days. I would suspect that you'll have more parasitic drain on their small batteries than you'll suffer from high mileage, making it more of a time driven change, than a mileage driven change. But that's just a guess.

galaxee · 11-30-2006, 12:55 PM

10 years.

however, once the batteries are gone you need new sensors from what i understand.

11-30-2006, 12:41 PM	#2
eagle33199 Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,036 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I believe it's been said that the batteries can last quite a long time... I'm sure galaxee can chime in here with some more accurate data. From what we've seen with the TPMS system, it doesn't query the sensors every second, as people have had tires replaced and not had the light go on for 3 days. I would suspect that you'll have more parasitic drain on their small batteries than you'll suffer from high mileage, making it more of a time driven change, than a mileage driven change. But that's just a guess. __________________

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11-30-2006, 12:34 PM	#1
viking31 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Central Florida Posts: 426 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I have only had my 2006 for about 10 months or so but I am on track for about 28,000 miles/year of use. I expect the OEM tires to last to about 40,000 miles or so which will put me at a year and half or so of use of the Prius. But since the TPMS sensors use a battery for power, what type of battery life can one expect from the TPMS monitors? Are the batteries used common and fairly inexpensive? If so it would seem logical to replace them each time I get new tires if the batteries are cheap. Perhaps it may be more cost effective to replace them with each set of new tires rather than to wait for a sensor to go dead on a tire which still has life left on it. Whad'ya think? BTW, I was initially wary of the TPMS system and thought I was pretty good at spotting when a tire gets low from a nail or sorts, but the last time I got a nail the TPMS alerted me first before I noticed the tire getting low. Like it!! Rick #4 2006

11-30-2006, 12:55 PM	#3
galaxee uphill battling Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 8,823 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 19	10 years. however, once the batteries are gone you need new sensors from what i understand.