I am looking into getting a new set of tires (snow tires for winter) for my current OE wheels and purchase aftermarket wheels/tires for normal driving. Does anyone have any input as far as getting a 2nd set of TPM sensors that duplicate the current sensors to emit the same frequency or however. So that I wouldn't have to constantly either swap them back and forth and/or constantly reprogramming the vehicle to reach the correct sensor. I'm not familiar with how these systems work, so any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

I don't have sensors on my winters. No re-programming required.

 

I don't currently have two sets of wheels for my Max, but I did have two for my Camry. When I ordered my aftermarket wheels I included tpm sensors in the package from Tire Rack. If you choose not to put the sensors on your second set of wheels I'm assuming you'll have to deal with a constant low tire pressure light (as was the way with my Camry) it'll blink for about a minute or two (indicating no communication with a sensor) then go solid.

When my aftermarkets were initially installed the installer (friend of mine that worked at Mr. Tire) did not or was not able to write the new sensor codes to my car right away. So for every time I drove for the next couple of days after 30 minutes exactly my low tire pressure light would start to blink then go solid. He claimed that the warning light had to be active to rewrite the codes. Assuming the Maxima will operate in the same manner, that's what you'll be looking forward to if you choose to run without tpm sensors.

Obviously the easiest thing to do would be to have both sets of wheels have their own tpms, I'm not sure if the car is able to store more than 4 sensors at one time so you might have to get the reprogrammed whenever you swap. The shop that will swap your wheels will almost certainly be able to do this (my friend didn't charge me, not sure if the shop charges for that or if he just did it off the books) or if you plan on swapping the wheels yourself there are tools available to do this.

 

I'm not entirely sure how the tpms system works as far as knowing which tire is which, but if I had to guess its based on a time delay from receiving signals from each sensor. Assuming the receiver is located near the driver all tires would be a different distance away. I have a hard time believing that techs rewrite codes every time they rotate tires on these newer cars where each tire is indicated on the driver hud. Or perhaps they just assume you're not going to test each tire and see if it all matches up.

 

I am on my 4th car of having two sets of wheels/tires. In both my 7th and 8th gen's., I have had the sensors placed in aftermarket wheels with the OE all season tires. I have the winter tires installed on the OE rims without sensors, and I just live with the light during the winter months.

If I could find a tool that would re-program the sensors to the computer, I would buy after market sensors for the after market wheels and re-program them myself. But I refuse to pay for both the sensors AND re-programming twice a year.

I don't know how the computer knows which sensor is on which corner (I suspect that Clouded is correct in that it is based on the timing of receiving the signals), I have rotated/changed mine several times, and the car always figures it out right away.

 

I know some manufacturers have each sensor stored to the vehicle and the vehicle tries to pick that signal up. I know Orange TPM Sensors actually copy the ID from the old tpm sensor and program their TPM to mimic the old one. Not sure how if this would work for our vehicles.

 

Whats cool about this maxima i that I found out that reprogramming is not needed. I had two sets of oem sensors on two different sets of wheels and the car learns them by itself. You just have to drive for like 20-30 mins. Pretty cool. No need to spend money gettin TPMS reprogrammed everytime you switch wheels.

 

Have you driven without tpms? If so did it react the way I mentioned above as with my Camry?

 

The blinking TPM light for 2 minutes was only for Toyotas, others use a "TPM Malfunction" indicator when no sensors are recognized.