Tire technology

Using radio frequency technology, a sensor inside the stem or attached to the rim alerts an onboard computer that activates a dashboard light when a tire's air pressure falls below 25 percent of the vehicle manufacturer's recommended safety level. Under the Transportation Recall Enhancement Accountability Documentation (TREAD) Act of 2000, it is illegal for anyone to disconnect or otherwise alter the system. In states with vehicle inspection programs, a non-operating TPMS will likely result in failure.

The challenge, therefore, for collision repair shops is to ensure that a vehicle's TPMS components are fully functional when picked-up by the customer. The decision to purchase a monitor – ranging in price from $399 to $599 – should be based on the number of vehicles that need to be sent elsewhere for scanning. If you're outsourcing 10 cars a week just to be scanned or re-set, it may be helpful to own a TPMS monitor, known as a scanning tool.

Several TPMS monitors are on the marketplace, billed as being universally current with each application in use. Several training experts in the body shop industry, though, are a bit wary. They foresee situations where the monitoring process can go awry because a scanner can't read a particular vehicle's system. "It's a new electronic device," says an industry instructor. "It's going to undergo evolution and change."

The TPMS antennas, usually mounted in or around the wheel well, are easy to replace, he adds. Some shops may prefer to send the vehicle out for the "wake-up" call directed to the onboard computer. The monitoring devices are designed to quickly determine if the TPMS is good to go in its current condition. If not, the monitor should be able to "wake-up," "re-learn," "re-set" or "re-calibrate" the system. If that function fails, a more complex repair and replacement process is necessary.

This re-learning aspect of TPMS will essentially become a common scenario for all repairers whenever a tire is handled or just slightly jostled, reports Rohlwing, "even if you just roll the tire off to the side for 10 minutes" while completing a repair elsewhere on the vehicle. "In some cases if you just take the lug nuts off it has to be re-set."

An initial TPMS test should be conducted with a handheld monitor in the presence of the customer or insurance adjuster as soon as the vehicle reaches your shop, according to Pat Pierce, director of marketing for OTC/SPX Corp. diagnostic products. By making this test an initial priority, your shop avoids being blamed for causing any TPMS problems while allowing you to explain in advance that additional repairs are needed. Another test should be conducted when the repair job is finished to eliminate the possibility of an unfortunate situation where "the customer drives away and the dashboard light comes on." (Be aware also that the TPMS light can come on a week or so after a crash, based on the stress of impact.)

Insurers are unlikely to balk at reimbursement, says Pierce, citing the vehicle safety and liability issues involved. "There's a spin there that the insurance industry should be advocating for," he points out.

By all accounts, collision shop owners should be making arrangements to attend some type of TPMS training to become proficient with the process. "You ought to be getting an initial broad-brush session on what the technology is and what's involved," says Chris Batts, product manager for TPMS at K-Tool International. The company has a free DVD available, but Batts recommends an actual seminar to fully understand the situation.

"Your readers should be contacting the distributors they usually purchase tools and equipment from," he suggests. "These guys put on training sessions from time to time." The TIA also offers seminars and you may wish to contact state tire associations for their educational offerings. I-CAR also provides instruction on the topic through its Electronically Controlled Steering and Suspension Systems (STE05) class.

"It is important to know if a vehicle is equipped with a TPMS so as not to damage it while servicing the vehicle," according to an I-CAR Advantage report. The sensors used with direct monitoring systems are sensitive electronic parts and caution should be used when demounting and mounting the tires. "To avoid damaging sensors when mounting and demounting tires, it is beneficial to know where the sensors are located. Sensor assemblies are commonly attached to the valve stem, with the valve stem acting as an antenna to assist with transmitting RF signals. They may also be strapped to the drop center of the wheel. If this is the case, the sensor assembly should be located in-line with the valve stem. To avoid damaging sensors when demounting tires, do not break the bead within 45 degrees of either side of sensor assembly locations. Be careful not to damage sensors when mounting tires as well. Sensors are not repairable and require replacement if damaged or when their battery is completely drained," I-CAR says.

"It may be necessary to reprogram the TPMS when the tires are rotated, when a new sensor is installed, or after the vehicle loses power," according to I-CAR. "This usually requires a scan tool...refer to the vehicle service manual to properly reprogram the TPMS."

Gearing up for TPMS

As a practical matter, the collision industry is likely to outsource a TPMS problem if the monitoring device is unable to get the system rolling. Anything beyond the wake-up/re-learn procedure requires specialized TPMS tire knowledge and equipment to replace the stem/sensor or onboard computer.

"Body shops should be gearing up to search out a tire store to do it correctly," says Craig Knarich, owner of Pit Crew Tire Service, a mobile repair operation headquartered in Palm Harbor, Fla.

It is important to select a tire repairer with the proper tools and training to safely perform this type of work, he notes. "You just can't have Billy Bob fixing a tire," Knarich cautions. "There's no way to short-cut it."

According to Knarich, "The body shop is not going to lose by farming it out." As with a towing bill or other outside service, most insurers should be willing to pay for these procedures, he says. "It's good customer service because you're farming it out to someone who knows all about it."

As you review the available tire shops in your area, take particular care in selecting a facility that has actively embraced TPMS technology – a number of operations have yet to get with the program, he adds.

"The problem with the tire industry is that they don't want to spend money on equipment," he maintains. "They're still in that mom-and-pop frame of mind." he says. The problem appears to be widespread. "The car dealers have gotten into the tire business because they had to," he adds, referring to tire shops that have provided sub-par repairs on the higher-end rubber and rim products now on the market – aggravating customers and sending them back to the dealership to ensure that the job is done right.

Knarich says, "Ninety percent of the tire industry is not up to standard" because these shops lack the most modern equipment and training.

Batts at K-Tool agrees. "What we're seeing out there is a head-in-the-sand mentality," he contends.

As for tackling TPMS yourself, it can become quite complicated and expensive if your shop is not yet set up for tire repairs and related functions. "If you're not doing alignments, don't go into doing tires," Knarich advises. For starters, you need a high quality tire changer costing $3,000 to $8,000, he says.

Even an experienced tire technician needs specialized training, plus there are other tools to be purchased, such as an inch/pounds torque wrench costing about $50 and a valve core torque tool (about $20).

Common TPMS repair challenges include a multitude of technologies and parts plus a propensity for the stems/sensors to break (they run from $50 to $250 per wheel) when tightened too hard.

"The biggest problem with TPMS is that everything is different," says Rohlwing at the TIA. "Every vehicle manufacturer has multiple solutions on different platforms."

Knarich, with his sophisticated mobile tire repair operation, services seven body shops in his market. These collision centers have eschewed tire work because "they're not going to make any money doing it."