Tpms
 

Re the tyre pressure monitoring...............if VCDS is suggesting that batteries are on their way out............are they replaceable or do you need to purchase a whole new pressure sensor?
Has anyone any experience with this?
Thanks

Yes I have had the displeasure of replacing all four sensors at the cost of nearly 500 quid plus the cost of having the tyres removed to replace them.

But I was having the wheels refurbed with new tyres fitted at same time do made more sense.

I would leave them till you have reason to have tyres taken off.

In the mean time if you have tpms failure in the did, using vcds code the system to be off and code out the option on the mmi system if you don't want it in the menu, then clear faults.

Cheers Del.
I was hoping someone might have said 'yes' you can replace the batteries.
£500 is a lot of cash and I think I can live without having my tyre pressures on display....although it is a 'nice to have'.
Chris

I've always thought that tyre pressure monitoring is one electronic aid too many - too much (repair) cost, and not enough benefit, or maybe I'm just being a Scot again!

madcjd, a cheaper option to renewing the current ones might be to fit a non-OEM kit. Once such option was discussed in the following thread by moltuae:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showpost....39&postcount=4

I know it seems pointless fitting another system, but considering the price differential, it could be something to consider if you really need it.

And, just to add: The batteries on those after-market sensors ARE replaceable .... all without removing any tyres.

Tpms replacement
 

Have a look at tyre pal.co.uk. £99 with discount code CH1214. Replaces valve caps, monitor fits perfectly in the ashtray, no wires required. Added benefit, can be swapped to winter wheels easily. No issues with wheel balance, protrudes around 10mm from my standard wheels. For £25 you can also have one for the spare wheel.

Richard

Thanks.
I think I've decided to just be without TP indication. It's only a ' nice to have' and as one other gent pointed out - a step too far.
Besides, I've got my eye on some nice 20" wheels and would be without the indication anyway (unless I faffed around having tyres removed twice and putting the sensors on new wheels.......when I get them).

Thanks Richard that's not a bad system for the money especially with the discount code +++

You know what needs to be done is for someone who makes the valve cap sensors to make it compatible with the Audi so it can still report in the dis.

I agree.
I noticed that they do a "canbus" module, so I emailed them a week back asking if they had done any work with an A8. Still waiting for a reply!!!!

If you like the OE everything working as intended, google for the cheaper non-Audi supplied sensors, e.g.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231372907396
Make sure you purchase the correct MHz and type though based on VIN.

I wish I hadn't seen that :mad:

Did you ever get an answer back from this Ray?
As an additional to this thread I fitted some Tyrepal sensors to one of the D3's and have been testing them, they are great and very easy to set up and use. Downsides are that the sensors are a bit bulbous on the end of the valve but the upside is that they are quick and easy to fit and seem pretty accurate. I had some tyres changed on the car today and asked the mobile tyre guy to help me check and see if they affected the wheel balancing. We balanced the tyre with normal valve only and then fitted the Tyrepal sensor and it did make a 20g difference to the weights that the tyre needed to correct for the sensor. So I would recommend fitting these but bear in mind that really you should get the tyres balanced after fitting as it does affect the balance very slightly +++

Sorry for not coming back on that. I finally managed to speak to a rep at the firm and it seems that they did not really know what "canbus" was!! They thought it was only on 24 volt trucks.
I finally went with the Tyrepal 99s and purchased the extra sensor for the spare. As you said really easy set up and are very accurate. I did not find any problems with wheel balance. Bit like Hi Fi I guess, at my age I can't hear any difference but I can still demonstrate it on an oscilliscope.
I have been playing with tyre pressures to find the optimum for my ride. SWMBO is becoming rather knowledgeable now and reports that she can increase the tyre pressures by two pounds during the school runs. Then wonders why the spare always stays the same.:love:
I'll have to make sure she does not see that one, my head is sore enough.
We drove up to Edinburgh for Hogmanay in heavy traffic on the M6/M74 but very light on the A702, did the return at silly o'clock on 02/01/2015 with no traffic at all until I reached Preston where I saw one car!! Pretty fast and hard driving without any probs. Really nice to see the pressures lift slightly and then stay steady. Good bit of kit. I positioned the monitor in the centre of the dash due to the wire length but plan on moving it to the right of the instrument binnacle when the weather warms up a bit.

Thanks for that - I installed my monitor wired in to the car into the fold out drawer by your right knee and it fits great but it keeps it more discreet. If the monitor beeps then it's easily heard and accessed and you can open the drawer at any time to read the pressures +++

Or, just do as I did ...

• Buy some accurate digital scales: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EPO9M2Y
• Buy some stick on weights: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AKXC54Q
• Stick equivalent in weights to wheel, opposite the tyre valve.

The sensors for the SteelMate TMPS system that I have weighed in at around 15g, so I just stuck two weights (10g + 5g) opposite each of them.