Can someone educate me on TPS sensors?

All those crazy grandmothers driving Olds 88s never had the problem... is the C so much less controllable? People might not notice the difference between 51 and 41, you're correct... but neither will the sensor. When you get below the factory specs the tire is "usually" more noticeably wrong, at least in my experience.

 

Sure

Sure the sensor would sense it. It's about 41 is about 20% below 51. You just didn't reset yours like the manual instructs you to....

Runflat tires definitely need them from my experience....

Are you sure they "never" had the problem.... I definitely can't say they "always" have the problem....

 

Exactly, I think the poster who didn't feel it was running pressures above factory specs. If it is above factory specs the leak would continue until factory specs before you'd start feeling anything wrong with the car because it is still capable of safely supporting the vehicle weight. If you are running high pressure and reset the system, then it would notify you of the 20% or so decrease they are supposed to before you are having issues controlling your car. Since most of us aren't race car drivers with extremely quick response times and driving expertise this is helpful...

 

Except that the example I gave above verified that I did notice it. I run higher than factory specs and didn't reset my sensory. I noticed the tire was low before the sensor did. It was 1 pound above factory spec, but since I run 42/40, the tire was below the other three.

 

But I'm not disputing it's helpfulness. I'm just saying that people shouldn't rely on gimmicky technology and trust it to be the end-all-be-all. Knowing your car's sounds/feel can save you a lot. Just noticing that the engine is idling differently can save you a big money item before a code is even tripped.

 

No, I can't say the "never" had the problem, so kudos for that. But I sure as heck don't ever recall grandmothers flying off the road due to tire explosions, ala the Ford Exploder.

 

Sorry, had a bad discussion with my father. Took it out on you....

 

I agree with your statement that the early warning systems available today should not be a substitute for always knowing the sound and feel of your car. I would not call these systems gimmicky technology but additional early warning systems that could actually save someone's life that is not paying full attention to driving.

 

No sweat. I bust balls for descriptors on here all the time, lol. You just happened to catch me on it.

 

I certainly agree with you. I do just what you do, check the basic things once in a while. I am 76 years old. That has always worked for me with not one problem.

 

So my father ran over debris on the road last Monday. Right rear tire... somehow we didn't fly off the hwy at 70 mph when it blew. Thank God that sensor warned us it was flat. I guess it's karma for being a pain the arse, lol.