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TPMS sensors

John Marinan

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
680
Loc.
Durango CO.
Not directly a Bronco question, but I do us this vehicle to transport the Bronco. I need to know if off brand wheel sensors will work on late model f250. I have a set of wheels I would like to use for winter tires, but the sensors that came with them are not ford brand, although they are made for my year vehicle.
Thanks
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,835
There are a good dozen or so different communication protocols, including different frequencies and different hardware. Taking a sensor off a GM and putting it on a Ford, stuff like that, it will never talk. There can be issues with trucks as many of the TPMS for cars simply lack the hardware inside of them to be able to read the higher pressures that the truck tires run. So pulling a sensor out of a Mustang and plopping it into an F250 probably isn't going to work either.

With that said, there is a lot of standardization. But far from one size fits all. I have tried to cross brand lines a few times, NEVER worked.

Most TPMS systems look to the signature from the wheels senders. Just putting another sender on a wheel and the vehicle never programmed to read that sender, will never be read. You need the vehicle programmed to read the sensor.

At one time there were programable sensors. Took a special tool. Sensors were one time only programable. They were marketed toward the summer/winter tire market. You could change the tires and not visit a dealer to reprogram. That was in the early days of TPMS. Today just about every tire show does the programming. The aftermarket tools are so much better than the old ones.
 

1sicbronconut

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 26, 2006
Messages
2,422
Not directly a Bronco question, but I do us this vehicle to transport the Bronco. I need to know if off brand wheel sensors will work on late model f250. I have a set of wheels I would like to use for winter tires, but the sensors that came with them are not ford brand, although they are made for my year vehicle.
Thanks

Yes off brand sensors do work IF they are made for your year/model/tire pressure. You'll have to have a programmer and get the truck into programing mode.
 

904Bronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
5,749
Loc.
San Martin, CA
And you have to change the programming every time you change the wheels...

Here is a thought, my 2009 Mustang had TPS in the factory wheels and I would run track tires without TPS as all that would happen would be the light on the dash would light up. There were no other effects, so I would run it this way during open track season.

Now some cars, like Corvettes, get very upset when the TPS are not present... To the point the ECU takes away HP, almost a limp mode.

It might be an option if you research what happens with your Truck when no TPS are present. You would also have to be diligent in checking tire pressures.
 
OP
OP
J

John Marinan

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
680
Loc.
Durango CO.
Thanks for the help. Looks like having a set of winter wheels is a thing of the past, just not worth the hassle twice a year.
 

ransil

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 6, 2003
Messages
8,122
Check ebay lots of them there.
I run winter tires on an escape and focus, I ordered tires & wheels from tire rack and TMPS sensors as well, plus the tool helps.
 
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