TPMS Sensors on Winter Wheels: Buy a Second Set or Drive Without?

If your vehicle has a direct TPMS, plan on sensors for your winter wheels. According to Transport Canada, the system may not work properly until the appropriate pressure sensors for the vehicle are installed. If your system is indirect, it calculates pressure without any sensor in the wheels, so there is nothing to buy. The stakes are real: Transport Canada reports that about 70% of vehicles in Canada have at least one tire over- or under-inflated by at least 10%.

In short

• A direct TPMS reads pressure from sensors inside the tires; an indirect TPMS calculates it from ABS or stability control data.
• With a direct system, sensors left in your summer wheels no longer monitor your winter tires.
• You have three options: move your sensors every season, buy a second set or drive without, knowing the trade-off.
• Even with sensors, cold weather lowers tire pressure, so check it every month with a gauge.
• When sensors are installed, the valves are included: 4 tires with 4 sensors = no extra valves.

What does TPMS actually do?

According to Transport Canada, the tire pressure monitoring system checks the air pressure in your tires and warns the driver when it drops below a safe level. It is a safety net, not a maintenance tool. Transport Canada also notes that it does not replace the maintenance recommended in the owner's manual, and that you should keep checking tire pressure every month.

That safety net matters, because air pressure supports 95% of the vehicle's weight, according to Transport Canada. A poorly inflated tire is never a minor detail.

Does your vehicle have a direct or indirect TPMS?

Everything starts with this question. According to the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), a system is called direct when it receives data from pressure sensors inside the tires, and indirect when it calculates pressure from anti-lock braking system (ABS) or stability control data.

How to find out

• Your owner's manual: this is the reference. The section on tire pressure or the tire pressure warning light describes your vehicle's system.
• A phone call, VIN in hand: call 450-256-1685 with your vehicle identification number, and our team will help you sort it out.
• The VIN decoder: our VIN decoder can help you confirm your vehicle's exact year, model and trim before you shop.
• A simple clue: if your dashboard shows a pressure reading for each tire, make a note of it, then confirm the system type in the manual before ordering.

If your system is indirect

You don't need to buy any sensors for your winter wheels. For the steps to follow after a wheel change, refer to your vehicle's owner's manual.

What happens if your sensors stay on your summer wheels?

With a direct system, the sensors work from inside the wheels. If they stay in your summer wheels, stored in the garage or basement, they no longer monitor the tires you are actually driving on.

Transport Canada is clear: when winter tires are installed, the system may not work properly until the appropriate pressure sensors for the vehicle are installed. In other words, you can no longer count on it to warn you about a tire losing air, and your pressure gauge becomes your only line of defence.

Reuse, buy or drive without: which option should you choose?

Here are the three possible routes with a direct system, side by side.

For a first winter set you plan to keep for several seasons, a second set of sensors is often the most practical choice. Whether you lean toward steel wheels or alloys for winter, sensor compatibility should be confirmed before you order.

With sensors, can the warning light still come on in winter?

Yes, it is common in cold weather, but the light signals pressure that really is low: measure and top up. According to Transport Canada, large swings in outside temperature can trigger the low-pressure warning, and some systems only flag a problem once pressure is very low. Continental also notes that the light may come on more often in cold weather, especially in the morning, because of pressure lost overnight.

A worked example

According to CAA-Quebec, winter tires installed at 10 °C can lose 5 psi at -20 °C. Transport Canada adds that tires naturally lose about 14 kPa (2 psi) per month through permeation.

As an illustration, picture a tire inflated at installation on a mild fall day and never checked again. After two months and a cold snap at -20 °C, it may have lost about 5 psi from the cold, plus about 4 psi from permeation, for a total of roughly 9 psi. And if your system only reports a problem at very low pressure, it may stay silent through much of that drop.

The right habit: CAA-Quebec recommends checking tire pressure at least once a month, when the tires are cold, ideally in the morning, with a reliable gauge. Inflate to the pressure recommended by the manufacturer (see the owner's manual).

Checklist before ordering your winter set

1. TPMS type confirmed: direct or indirect, according to the owner's manual or with help from our team, VIN in hand.
2. Sensor decision made: reuse your summer sensors, add new ones to the set or drive without, knowing the trade-off.
3. Compatible wheels: diameter, bolt pattern and offset suited to your vehicle, plus sensor compatibility if your system is direct. Compare the options in our wheels section.
4. The right size of set: choose your tire and wheel packages based on your vehicle's dimensions; current prices are in the online catalogue.
5. Lug nuts and small parts: check our accessories for what your winter wheels need. If your lug nuts are the spline (keyed) type, the spline key is offered with your order.
6. Expected timing: for ordered tires, installation is at the earliest 4 business days after the order (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays excluded).
7. Pressure gauge within reach: keep one in the glove box for your monthly check.

Our shop's advice

Settle the sensor question when you order, not on the morning of your appointment. If you are reusing your summer sensors, bring your summer wheels along with the winter set and mention it when you book; if you are adding new sensors, choose them at the same time as the set.

For valves, remember this simple rule: with installation, each tire installed gets a new valve, minus the TPMS sensors installed, since valves are included with the sensors. For example, 4 tires with 4 sensors = no extra valves, while 2 tires installed without sensors = 2 valves.

Finally, if the light comes on one bitterly cold morning, don't reset it blindly. Measure all four tires with a gauge first, inflate as needed to the manufacturer's pressure, then get in touch with us if the light stays on.

Can TPMS sensors be installed on a Saturday?

Yes, with one condition. This season, Saturdays are reserved for tire installation, from October 24 to November 28, and TPMS sensors are accepted if they come with a tire installation, just like studding and wheel mounting. Mechanical work, alignment and oil changes are done Monday to Friday.

Tire installation in Laval is done only at our shop at 1870 rue Cunard, for light vehicles. Reserve your time slot online with the booking button.

The bottom line: what should you do for your winter set?

First, check whether your TPMS is direct or indirect. If it is indirect, no sensors are needed; if it is direct, choose between moving your sensors, adding new ones or driving without, knowing the system may not work properly all winter. Either way, keep up the monthly gauge habit.

Once you have decided, find your set in the online catalogue, then book an appointment at our Laval shop. Have a compatibility question? Our team can help at 450-256-1685.