TPMS valve leak

iMike · May 1, 2021

Hello

I just found out that I’ve got a tiny leak from around the valve in all four wheels and I’m just thinking if should I try buying the fitting kit rather than the whole TPMS?

Also if it comes to replacing the TPMS, should I get a genuine one or would a cheaper replacement be fine?

Thanks in advance.

LenT · May 1, 2021

A couple of years ago, after a helpful lad had snapped the valve clean off the tyre, I need a replacement there and then. The nearest source was a large tyre retailer about half a mile away. I'd taken the wheel off and they were able to immediately supply and fit a matching TPMS valve for the sum of £65 plus £13 VAT - including refitting the wheel.

I've no idea what brand it was but I've had no problems at all with it. So I would imagine that if you go to an established tyre shop, you'll be fine. After all, there's a good chance that what ever 'brand' they use is quite possibly the same Company that makes for Toyota!

It also occurs to me that if ALL four valves are leaking around the seals, then you may have to bite the bullet and accept that this may be age-related. In any case, if these are the original TPMS valves, then the batteries are reaching the end of their effective life.

If you're planning to keep the car much longer, than it may be more cost effective to replace them all in one hit and possibly negotiate a discount, rather than wait for them to expire one by one!

iMike · June 2, 2021

On 5/1/2021 at 1:23 PM, LenT said:

A couple of years ago, after a helpful lad had snapped the valve clean off the tyre, I need a replacement there and then. The nearest source was a large tyre retailer about half a mile away. I'd taken the wheel off and they were able to immediately supply and fit a matching TPMS valve for the sum of £65 plus £13 VAT - including refitting the wheel.

I've no idea what brand it was but I've had no problems at all with it. So I would imagine that if you go to an established tyre shop, you'll be fine. After all, there's a good chance that what ever 'brand' they use is quite possibly the same Company that makes for Toyota!

It also occurs to me that if ALL four valves are leaking around the seals, then you may have to bite the bullet and accept that this may be age-related. In any case, if these are the original TPMS valves, then the batteries are reaching the end of their effective life.

If you're planning to keep the car much longer, than it may be more cost effective to replace them all in one hit and possibly negotiate a discount, rather than wait for them to expire one by one!

Sorry for late update and thank you for your input.

I thought I’ll be able to fix the leaking valves cheap only with the new fitting kits (£9) but none of the valves would unscrew and had to be cut. In the end I paid £70 per wheel to fix the leak and got all new 4 TPMS’.

One of the valves was strange, snapped and glued in (see picture attached).

The second picture is the new sensor.

The mechanic checked all 4 wheels under water and they seems to be fine now👍🏻

LenT · June 2, 2021

So a good result in the end Mike. Certainly looks like there was a bodge job on someone’s part in the past.

But now you have four good valves and you’re not going to have to worry about their batteries for a good few years.

And considering the valve cost and the labour involved for four wheels, that seems a pretty good price for the job.

Being brand new valves I presume that the dust caps are plastic. Because unless they’re heavily greased, metal dust caps will corrode on to the valve stem and the valve stem will snap off when an attempt is made to remove it. I speak from experience!!

200h · June 2, 2021

i had the same on a ct i used to have years ago

i had the metal lexus dust caps fitted ,it was only when

i needed to pump the tyre up i found the cap had seized on

i ended up using a hacksaw to put a cut throught the side

of the cap to enable me to remove it

LenT · June 2, 2021

1 hour ago, 200h said:

i had the same on a ct i used to have years ago

i had the metal lexus dust caps fitted ,it was only when

i needed to pump the tyre up i found the cap had seized on

i ended up using a hacksaw to put a cut throught the side

of the cap to enable me to remove it

Well you were smarter than I was, Mark. Although I wasn’t actually responsible for the valve removal.

Nevertheless this was the only time I had ever had this problem. Strangely the three other caps were all plastic but looked identical to the welded metal one.

Of course back in the day, as I recall, all the smart dust caps were metal but we never had a problem with them seizing on the valve stem. That was because we knew about the many uses of Vaseline.