talking about cars... how's your new car, Angeline?

Is that the locknut that holds the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensor in place on the wheel? If so, get them replaced. Now.

Failure to do so may cause the sensor to loosen in the hole in the wheel, causing a leaking tire. In a worst case scenario, the loss of pressure could be so rapid and great that you would at best ruin a tire; at worst, it could cause a loss of control situation, especially if the pressure loss occurs on a front wheel.

Just my informed opinion; now back to this football game I was watching.

Owners in my state did not get the recall notice because it was recommended for states get a lot of snow so thus get salt damage to that nut.

But when they sent the recall on the back door handle, they said that they would replace that nut if I wanted it done. It has not been exposed to salt or snow, and I sure won't be driving in coditions that it would be. So I'll be watching for a long enough period of decent weather to take it in for its first maintenance and the recall stuff, which should be toward he end of the month.

I appreciate your concern. Thanks.

I'm sorry abut the outcome of the game. o be honest, I turned to another program with about 4 minutes remaining, ad turned back when the confetti was flying. Turned back to the other channel. I felt sad.

Angeline

I've had them in two vehicles. Both vehicles had sensors misbehave in colder weather when nothing was wrong with any of the tires. On mine, no specific tire was noted when the warning happened below a certain temperature. As well, I understand the spare tire can also cause this. So, how's one to know which one is faulty? I sure don't know. I think they may have batteries that don't produce enough current when its colder. To me, they're another nuisance item. I can tell when a tire is low or flat by looking at it or by how the car drives. These are just something else that breaks and need to be fixed at a cost. I don't know whose bright idea these dumb things are.

Try the Feds!

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/announce/testimony/tread.html

Tire-related Regulatory Actions

The TREAD Act directs us to conduct several actions to improve the safety of tires, including rulemaking to improve the endurance and resistance standards for tires, to improve the information labels on tires, and to require a warning system to indicate to drivers when a tire is significantly underinflated.

We completed the testing and preparatory work and submitted an NPRM proposing several tire performance improvements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on December 17, 2001. We received clearance from OMB on February 22, and we are now preparing the NPRM for issuance. Completing this rulemaking as quickly as possible is one of my highest priorities.

NHTSA issued an NPRM on tire information labeling in December 2001. The comment period closed on February 19, 2002. We are reviewing the comments on the NPRM and expect to meet the June 1, 2002 deadline for this rulemaking. The improved information resulting from this rule should make it easier for consumers to find and understand safety information about their tires.

The NPRM to require a warning system to indicate to vehicle operators when a tire is significantly underinflated was published on July 26, 2001. The NPRM drew extensive comments. We have sought to resolve the issues raised by the comments and devise a system that will meet the intent of the TREAD Act in a manner that best serves safety. In the belief that we had devised such a system, we sent a final rule to OMB on December 18, 2001. On February 12, 2002, OMB returned the rule to us for reconsideration based on concerns it had identified. When we received OMB�s return letter, we immediately began examining the issues it raised. Completing this rulemaking as quickly as possible is one of my highest priorities.

Now, here's the kicker: The TREAD Act anticipated that the sensors would last 7-10 years after installation at the factory. The act lied. In practice, my experience is that the batteries sealed in the sensors fail somewhere after 3-5 years after installation - which may be months before the vehicle is even placed into service by a buyer. Unlike emission control components, which are required to be warranted by the manufacturer for a minimum of 5 years/50,000 miles, the TPMS sensors are only required to be warranted for the manufacturer's standard bumper to bumper warranty, usually 3 years/36,000 miles. Guess what's starting to happen? Car owners are discovering that they have to replace the wheel sensors at their own expense - between $400.00-750.00 depending on the vehicle. Add to that the facts that the sensors are easily damaged during routine tire maintenance/replacement and that they often require expensive reprogramming after tire replacement or even tire rotation - an expense that's borne by the car owner with the cost of the reprogramming units the maintenance facility must buy passed on to them. Many owners of TPMS equipped vehicles are already having the sensors replaced with standard valve stems by shops that are willing to risk the heavy punishments for doing so.

The TREAD Act is a loser. Thanks again, Bridestone/Firestone and Ford for turning that Ford Explorer fiasco of a few years ago into an excuse for the Feds to give us yet another half-baked "solution" to a problem that can be solved by every car owner have 1) A $10-12 tire pressure gauge, 2) The knowledge of how it's used, 3) The ability to air a tire up to its recommended pressure, and 4) The knowledge that a tire that continually runs low needs immediate attention and is an imminent threat to themselves and everyone else around them on the road.

...that the spare tire (which most folks forget about) can cause the TPMS to register a low tire. Note that this ONLY applies to cars and trucks that have active TPMS AND a full sized spare. Vehicles with one of those abominable "space saver" spares, or as I call them "tires in a state of arrested development", do not have wheel sensors.

If you don't want to be needlessly bothered by the TPMS nanny, just remember to check your tires' air pressure (including the spare - sensor equipped or not) weekly. Also remember that in cold weather, a tire that's already under inflated may lose enough pressure due to the fact that air gets denser as it gets colder to trigger the nanny.

a tire pump with a gauge on it. My trusty high capacity hand pump gave out this winter and I have an electric now...one that hooks to the battery and not the convenience outlets. I've tested all 4 tires when the sensor triggers and all are well within tolerance. I know that batteries when cold don't work as well as when warm. My current vehicle will trigger somewhere between 30-35 degrees so it's on most of the time now. This will go away in the Spring. I carry an inflation device because I've picked up nails that cause slow leaks that may go unnoticed until I see visible evidence. I'm sold on these as a necessity and am looking to replace the manual pump with a foot operated heavy duty type. My spare is of the donut variety and sits up front between the driver and passenger seating area. To change the tire requires lowering it via crank and pulling it out of the side after enough steel cable has been released. Then you change the tire and reel in the cable. Now you have a full sized tire and no convenient place to store it. I love all these modern improvements and safety enhancements.

a Chrysler mini van...2007. It was once in for extended service and I got an equivalent loaner during the Fall season. Same thing with that one. I got low pressure warning in the AM when colder and no warning when temps got above 40 or so. I checked all pressures with that one including dragging out the spare. No problems with pressure. Maybe it's just whatever Chrysler used at that time. I've not bothered to make an issue of it since it's not my car.