Confused about TPMS

[puffball]

So I've been reading in several forums about TPMS and what happens when you put in winter tires that don't have a sensor in them, but now I'm confused.

I just had new winter tires put on my 2008 Accord EX Sedan. The new tire size is a 205/65/16 as recommended by tirerack.com as a possible alternative size. I fully expected the TPMS signal light to turn on after the tire change. However, no warning light. And on top of that I expected my VSA to be stuck ON because TPMS is not registering. However, I have no problems turning off my VSA still. The tires were mounted on generic steel wheel and the garage even warned me that installing wheels without the sensor will cause the warning light to stay on. My oem tires still have the sensors on them.

What's going on? Is there something wrong with the TPMS and it wasn't working to begin with? If that's the case, shouldn't the VSA be stuck on?

Can anyone help? I think I'm going to have to go into the dealer for this one.

Thanks

[htec17]

vsa and the tpms system are two diffrent systems. Tpms light and low tire air light is what you should have on not the vsa light

[bizzybearfigiblue]

he knows his shyt

[puffball]

Yes, I know that the TPMS and VSA are two separate things. However, if you read the owner's manual, it states that if the low tire pressure light turns on and the TPMS light turns on, the VSA will automatically be stuck ON (meaning that there is NO VSA light in the dash), even if you hold the VSA button to try and turn it off, it will not disengage.

However, I have not seen the low pressure light, or the TPMS light AND I'm still able to switch off the VSA (triangle with exclamation mark comes ON when you turn off the VSA)

I posted this question on another forum and one person said that they experienced the same thing and waited two weeks before the TPMS light turned on. Curious...

I've been driving for a couple of days now, even on highways, and still no warning lights.

[htec17]

The reason for that is there is no sensors in the wheels to send a signal so the system does not know the pressures in the tires. if it gets a signal of the low pressure it will not let you turn the vsa off because of traction.

[puffball]

According to the owner's manual, when you put on a spare tire, which of course does not have the TPMS sensor on it, the TPMS should light up in your dash showing that there is an error because it is not receiving any signal from an expected sensor. So technically after changing all four tires to regular steel wheels without the sensor, the same thing should happen.

[puffball]

Don't know what the fault condition is, but the TPMS light finally turned on after driving on the highway for over an hour. VSA can not be deactivated.

Now I need to look for a spare set of TPMS sensors or risk getting stuck in deep snow with VSA on.