Low cost high end TPMS installed

Just went through this with a 2008 Lexus RX350 but all the methods are identical for Gen3 Prius (and many other cars)

Avoid cheap no name brands from ebay/amazon. I figure these were all from the supply chain of cheap Chinese domestic cars. Use cheap and lower quality batteries and internal chips (low power design matters for longevity) Thus I guess life span likely isn't great.

High end TPMS from Japanese, US and German brands provide high quality aftermarkets. However, a single confusing factor creates massive confusion amongst consumers and tire shops benefit handsomely. The single factor is high end TPMS ID programming (inserting an ID into the TPMS sensor) require thousand dollar tools that mainly work with one brand. Tire shops don't carry every expensive ID programming tool so they just resort to sell you a TPMS they carry and can program at a handsome markup.

Here is how to get around all of this confusion at low cost

Buy high end TPMS from online seller preconfigured for your car

tpms.com and a2ztiresupplies.com (used them recently) are such providers. When you order TPMS, provide your car's model and they will preconfigure the TPMS to be compatible with your car. All that is left to do after installing into a car is to read the IDs and program them into the car's ECU. Fortunately this last step can be done by a programmer every tire shop has (Autel MaxiTPMS) Its so cheap even a consumer can own one for < $100 (more on this later) I even asked a2ztiresupplies.com to write the ID on the box so I can program into the car with Techstream (but their handwriting wasn't so good haha)

High end TPMS maker like BH Sens Huf, Autel etc. make dual band sensors (315Mhz, 433Mhz) and blank IDs. So a seller just need their tool to config the correct band for your car and enter an ID. Again, the challenge is this config tool usually only work with a single high end brand. So buy from online sellers that preconfig these for your car are the way to go.

Installation when you change tires or just swapping dead TPMS

Can usually get these installed for free while swapping out for new tires. Shop might even activate them for you for free (Costco did for me when I provided them preconfig sensors) If swapping out a dead sensor without new tires, Discount Tires just did 3 (preconfiged for car + ID) for me @ $8 each without programming it into my car. Used my own Autel MaxiTPMS to program the car with these new IDs. Could have done it with techstream if the ID written on the box was more clear haha.

How much do high end TPMS cost?

• tpms.com has BH Sens Huf, Schrader, Adachi, TSSsensor brands all between $20-$25 each.
• a2ztiresupplies.com has BH Sens for $17 each
• Discount Tires / America's Tires will PM online TPMS providers (and tires too) Discount sells BH Sens to their customers.

So there isn't a need to buy Pacific Industries even from the lowest cost Amazon source for $40+/ea

MaxiTPMS (TS508WF)

Autel's MaxiTPMS can read basically every TPMS that exist that have an ID already programmed (not blank) and program them into the car. They just can't set IDs other than Autel's own brand MX TPMS (~$25) This is why every tire shop has this tool.

Can buy one for < $100 from ebay etc. However need to confirm with seller its a US market product rather than grey market from overseas. Grey market product aren't fakes. But I've read Autel blocks them from updating and registration for use in US. When I got mine (new $70 from mercari.com + free ship) first step was register, update, and email Autel with serial number to confirm US market product.

Since buying this

• Read my 11 Prius TPMSs and set them into the car. Used techstream to blank out TPMS ID in the car ECU in advance to confirm MaxiTPMS did the programming into the Prius.
• Put 3x BH Sens TPMS into a 2008 Lexus RX350 with 3x old TPMS (1 dead) for $24+tax install at Discount Tires. Read all 5 TPMS (2 installed last year by tire shop) and programmed into the car.
• Read the TPMS on my 2013 Tesla's TPMS (Continental TPMS receiver. I think TPMS is Continental also)
• Read the TPMS on a 2017 Subaru Outback with Schrader TPMS (1 dead haha) that came with OEM tires.

Quite the useful tool for < $100

 

This is just a guess but seems reasonable?

• Manufacturer (where based, doesn't matter where TPMS is manufactured. Mainly design + QC. Like Apple making stuff in China) So Germany (BH Sens, TSSsensor, Schrader, Continental) US (Autel, Dill, TRW) Japan (Pacific Industries, Adachi) are likely all high quality candidates.
• OEM use by major manufacturer. MaxiTPMS actually has a database of OEM TPMS for each vehicle. 17 Subaru outback was Schrader. 08 Lexus RX350 and 11 Prius was Pacific Industries. Tesla is Continental.
• What is carried by reputable tire distributors. Tirerack ( link Schrader, Autel, Dill, BH Sens) Discount Tires ( link BH Sens, Dill, Schrader, Pacific Industries, Continental, TRW) All at a pretty good premium margin due to their natural inclusion in the tire sale and installation business.

A lot of manufacturing is surely outsourced outside Germany/US/Japan. Manufacturing in Asia isn't really well understood by most consumers and often form simple opinions like Chinese manufacturing is poor quality... But all the high end consumer electronics are made in China and usually by US/Eurpean/Japanese design companies. I actually designed a simple auto repair part (just a stainless steel cap for capping off a poorly designed Tesla drive unit coolant passage. Tesla revved the design to remove the passage but won't sell the part individually) and sourced it from China. Quickly learning the coastal manufacturers were more capable and pricier. Inland factories cheaper and lower capability. What made in China is is really many grades of a particular product. Highest grade are usually designed and QC controlled by companies in US/Germany/Japan. Lowest grade usually copycat factories. And then there is everything in between. On a simple stainless steel cap requiring pressing. The pressing die wears after X uses so QC would need to monitor this and swap out die. This QC process is reduced at the cheap manufacturers. I have a simple USB EEPROM programmer (CH-341A) made in China for < $5. Even this design gets like multiple grades with copycat manufacturers removing as many components as possible to the point where it barely works haha. I've also sourced aftermarket iPhone batteries. ebay/amazon no names usually have way shorter capacity than advertised. I buy from iPhone repair shop distributors, battery also made in China but not stamped with higher than real capacities. These grade variations are quite natural in today's global trade where the lower economic strata wants the "same" product as the higher economic strata but can't afford as much. Thus lower grade copycats appear... and then an opportunity exist to reroute these to the higher strata locale.

Of course designing and manufacturing TPMS isn't child's play and requires higher end skills. I don't know about Chinese domestically higher end TPMS (My 2013 Tesla came with Baolong TPMS system. Tesla then swapped them out to Continental next year) They'd need high quality battery source and ultra low power chip design and manufacturing capabilities) along with required assembly precision. Its the copycats / grey market factories thats probably more worrisome. A simple way to make a "lower grade business" is to mod the higher end design by cutting and reducing components grades.

In aftermarket auto parts, a secondary and sometimes grey market products are often offered by distributors/factories. Aisin often sell same parts supplied to Toyota not marked as Toyota. Aftermarket higher end Euro car motor mounts often have car manufacturers logo grounded off. Margins are huge in the easiest accessible paths for consumers thus aftermarket opportunities are there.

Back on TPMS, I recently took apart my 2011 Prius's original TPMS and see if can source the battery. Battery was made by Panasonic and in particular a high temperature grade variant ( link ) Looking at the knockoffs in the market, battery quickly changed to common coin cells usually Maxell branded which is worrisome as they are commonly knocked off in China (10 for $1) Tried these in keyfobs in the past and last maybe a year+. Some knockoff TPMS appears to skip the silicone sealants moisture protection. Lastly, no idea what the solution is for the low power internal chip/components. Anyhow, many grades of manufacturing+QC.

Not suggesting aftermarkets no names are guaranteed poor longevity. What is lost is chain of custody on QC so have take the risk. And downside is they sit inside the tire so changing out is more cumbersome. With US/Japan/Germany designed and QCed parts for < $20 each and skipping the tire seller+installers uplifted margins.. Seems like a reasonably good choice.

Anyhow, just all an educated guess on who is doing the design+QC and the matching factories supporting manufacturing.

 

Pacific Industries sold by Denso on Amazon for $40+ each has preset IDs and marked on casing. So of course these can be programmed by techstream. $40 for a set of 4 Pacific Industries are likely counterfeits. My original from the car and the $40 each from Amazon are identical without CMIT # printing ( link ) Looking at pics of all the cheap Pacific Industries TPMS on ebay/Amazon with transparent silicone shows circuit board differences to my originals. As for tolerance for counterfeits and where cut costs are, I guess everyone can decide for themselves.

Many other major aftermarket reputable TPMS are sold with blank ID and no markings on casing. Have dual band (315/433Mhz) to support 99% of cars (315->433 seems to have occurred around late 2010s). These require ID insertion (and probably band configuration?) prior to marrying to the car via OBD port (MaxiTPMS / Techstream)

So yes, if stick with Pacific Industries (and its counterfeits) with printed IDs, then just use techstream. Just saying plenty other reputable brands are available but require setting blank IDs ands frequency band. As I also noted, if can get the seller that programs the ID to write it down clearly (might be hit and miss haha). Then can just use techstream to write it to the ECU.

 

On Autel program Gen 3 Prius ECU

I can confirm Autel TS508WF scanned all 4 of my Pacific Industries TPMS purchase a couple of years ago ($40/ea Amazon, seller is Denso whatever that means on Amazon. rockauto is also ~$40/ea) and wrote into the 2011 Prius ECU a couple of days ago. Did this to test my just purchased TS508WF. But I recall it took 2 tries on the ODB2 write effort. Maybe user error as it was my first time using the Autel to program ECU.

To confirm the Autel did the programming. I use techstream to reorder the IDs (what ID1-4 corresponds to) to see if Autel would change the order. And of course I made a typo and TPMS light on dash came on haha. After Autel successfully programmed. Order changed, typo was gone, TPMS light went out

Also used this TS508WF to scan and program into ECU on 2008 Lexus RX350 yesterday. 2x unknown TPMS Les Schwab put in a year ago. 3x new BH Sens UVS 7050 preset with ID by the seller (I triggered the TPMS with TS508WF to confirm before tire installer visit which also clarified the poor ID handwriting on the box that I asked for) I asked for the 3 old TPMS back. Looks like prior owner probably replaced with cheap counterfeits. Here are the pics. Seems like an attempt at copying Pacific Industries poorly. Disregard the transparent silcone and no rear cover. The $40/ea Pacific Industries TPMS form Amazon is same so Pacific Industries changed the assembly since 2011.



Here is a pic of the board on the $40/ea Pacific Industries from Denso store on Amazon in a post review



the 3 give aways currently are below. But surely counterfeiters are increasing fidelity all the time

• board is different
• battery has no plastic blue wrapping around the edge. And I'm not sure if can see the battery make and model. It will be Panasonic and likely the model # I posted previously ( link )
• No CMIT #. I'd be curious if anyone actually have a Pacific Industries TPMS that came with their Prius that has a CMIT #. My 2011 Prius OEM had no CMIT #/ Neither does Amazon $40/ea sensor or rockauto's stock pic ( link )