Recently I was reading some old threads and saw the comment that "all" Freestars came with TPMS.

Well, I don't think I have it on my 2005 SE. I have the warning light for it in the dash, and the bulb is good, because I can see it while starting the car. But I do not have any sensors in the wheels - replaced my rusty steel wheels (which did not have them) with alloy wheels from a Chrysler minivan (which do not have them). Yet I do not get any warning light. How could this be if I am supposed to have it?

I don't really want it, just curious about my circumstances.

 

I believe that I posted that all Freestars came with TPMS sensors. However, I should have stated that the sensors were banded to the aluminum rims and not steel rims. All Freestars do have the TPMS system. The Freestars that do not have the sensors in the rims use only the Anti-lock brake wheel speed sensors to detect a change in wheel speed due to tire deflation. Freestars with wheel sensors use both. Use of your factory spare tire should also set the "Low pressure light" as it will turn at a different speed.

 

Thanks for the info. Very interesting to know. Never would have thought of that.

 

would the vehicles built with tpm sensors in the wheels display the actual pressures in the instrument cluster?

 

Depends on the vehicle manufacturer and also model and year. Some do, some don't. I know that my 2004 Freestar Limited and my 2010 Lincoln MKZ do not display individual tire pressures. My son's old 2010 Chevy Impala would just display like "LEFT RR TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE" (Like DUHHH!!!) and his 2014 Mercedes displays the individual tire pressures and are SPOT-ON.

Personally I think that TPMS systems are a waste of time, energy and costs. I see too many people driving around with tires that have low pressures and you know that the IDIOT LIGHT is on and has been for a while. Those are the people that the government has to hold their hands in maintaining their vehicles and they still just don't care. But those of us that maintain our vehicles have to pay for it.

 

it is definitely there for emission purposes.

I have seen the system save quite a few tires from being driven on flat. In Canada it is not mandatory so a few models do not come with them.

Chrysler systems (in Canada) have a winter mode where you can shut the system off when you install your winter tires that don't have tpms.

the wss based system works well for me and I don't have to pay for new sensors every time the internal battery dies.