Ford TPMS Sensors

[elkhunter11]

I bought some used winter tires/rims last spring for my 2021 F150, and after asking Ford service, and the Kal Tire staff, and searching online to see if the sensors would even work, or if they would require reprogramming to work on my 2021, nobody seemed to know for sure. Yesterday I swapped out the tire/wheels, and after driving for 30 minutes, no alarms, and the Fordpass App is displaying the correct pressures. So based n my experience, the 2019 Ford sensors will work on a 2021, and they don't require programming. I ended up with like new 18" factory aluminum rims, and sensors off of a 2019 Lariat, and Firestone Winterforce LT studded tires that had only a few months of use, not my favorite tire, but for $600 for everything, I wasn't about to turn down the deal.

[JBE]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I bought some used winter tires/rims last spring for my 2021 F150, and after asking Ford service, and the Kal Tire staff, and searching online to see if the sensors would even work, or if they would require reprogramming to work on my 2021, nobody seemed to know for sure. Yesterday I swapped out the tire/wheels, and after driving for 30 minutes, no alarms, and the Fordpass App is displaying the correct pressures. So based n my experience, the 2019 Ford sensors will work on a 2021, and they don't require programming. I ended up with like new 18" factory aluminum rims, and sensors off of a 2019 Lariat, and Firestone Winterforce LT studded tires that had only a few months of use, not my favorite tire, but for $600 for everything, I wasn't about to turn down the deal.

Not sure about Ford sensors but would they not have to be programmed to display their correct location?

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by JBE

Not sure about Ford sensors but would they not have to be programmed to display their correct location?

I can swap summer to winter wheels (and back) on our Mitsubishi Outlander without doing anything and the TPMS doesn't complain (unless a tire goes low ).

ARG

[tirebob]

Some sensors will cross over within the same brand and others will not. Some require seasonal re-loading and other vehicles are designed with self recognizing procedures. Some vehicles require uploading of signatures for both sets but can be toggled between them seasonally in the onboard computer.

Point being they are all different so you just have to learn what your specific vehicle requirements are, if at all.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by JBE

Not sure about Ford sensors but would they not have to be programmed to display their correct location?

Officially don't know the answer - but I'm assuming it doesn't matter as the vehicle likely has an oriented proximity unit somewhere (likely in the main computer and running on or communicating with simple RF)- and you should be able to rotate tires anytime with no issues or reprogramming of any sort.

Pretty basic and cheap technology.

[elkhunter11]

My Tacoma required reprogramming every time I swapped out my wheels/tires, but the sensors were aftermarket , supplied by the tire shop. The sensors in the Ford wheels are supposedly the original Ford sensors, so perhaps even that makes a difference. I was asking around, because I didn't want to go to the effort of installing the new wheels/tires , if the sensors were not going to work, and online it was mentioned that Ford
supposedly changed the sensor frequency sometime between 2016, and 2020, depending on who you asked.

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

My Tacoma required reprogramming every time I swapped out my wheels/tires, but the sensors were aftermarket , supplied by the tire shop. The sensors in the Ford wheels are supposedly the original Ford sensors, so perhaps even that makes a difference. I was asking around, because I didn't want to go to the effort of installing the new wheels/tires , if the sensors were not going to work, and online it was mentioned that Ford
supposedly changed the sensor frequency sometime between 2016, and 2020, depending on who you asked.

From what I can figure out it depends which package you have. Some trucks as late as 2018 could use the old sensor package so you have to look carefully at what’s installed.

Also, I suggest you double check the lug nut torque. As of a couple years ago some shops were operating on old standards and will only torque to 90 when it should be 150 on vehicles with the 14mm studs.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

From what I can figure out it depends which package you have. Some trucks as late as 2018 could use the old sensor package so you have to look carefully at what’s installed.

Also, I suggest you double check the lug nut torque. As of a couple years ago some shops were operating on old standards and will only torque to 90 when it should be 150 on vehicles with the 14mm studs.

I do my own change outs, every spring and summer, so I do the torquing, and the retorque. I also changed out the aluminum clad lug nuts, as I have had one bad experience with them in the past, when changing a flat tire.

[sewerrat]

On my '15 F 150 I swap out to my winter wheels as well, the winter rims are from a '14 model still the old body style, the sensors did not match the new body style, so throughout the winter I drive with the tire light on.
In spring when I swap back to summer the tire light goes off.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by sewerrat

On my '15 F 150 I swap out to my winter wheels as well, the winter rims are from a '14 model still the old body style, the sensors did not match the new body style, so throughout the winter I drive with the tire light on.
In spring when I swap back to summer the tire light goes off.

I couldn't put up with the alarm on all winter or even acknowledging it every time, I would just have new sensors installed.

[Savage Bacon]

When I rotate the tires on the boss's jeep they automatically pick up where I put them.

[Anvil1010]

My wife's Ford Fusion I change winter rims to summer rims and back, nothing needs to be done.
My Denali, I had to buy a tool to reset the rims when I change them.
Go figure.
I just assumed Ford has a better system.

[sewerrat]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I couldn't put up with the alarm on all winter or even acknowledging it every time, I would just have new sensors installed.

It’s just “ low tire” in the dash is lit, that’s all., no annoying dinging sounds.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by sewerrat

It’s just “ low tire” in the dash is lit, that’s all., no annoying dinging sounds.

I find any warning light, that isn't supposed to be on, annoying.

[IL Bar]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I find any warning light, that isn't supposed to be on, annoying.

A small piece of black tape fixes that.

[Dynamic]

Not related but sorta related I have a Honda CRV and was researching was wanting to get winter rims but I absolutely hated the idea of having to buy/swap the sensors over. I was set on just letting the light glow all winter.

Low and behold on my CRV there is no actual TPMS’s but instead they use the abs/wheel speed sensors and the car will notice the difference in wheel speed. When a tire loses pressure it will turn at a slightly different speed than the others. I love when companies try to engineer out a problem rather than just throw more expensive sensors at it.

The compromise is that you do not get pressure reading for your tires. And when the light trips you need to figure out which one is low. But honestly I carry a pressure gauge with me so it is very easy. I had a slow leak in one tire and the system worked awesome.