No spare in a new car.

[Chris Padilla]

2001 BMW 530i: full spare.
2006 Toyota Tacoma: full spare.

Newer BMWs are coming with run-flats. Some of the higher performance BMWs (M5, for example) come with an electric pump and goo.

[Stephen Tashiro]

What is the plumbing for a Tire Pressure Monitoring System like? Is there some sort of air hose that is actually connected to the inside of the tire? Or is there a sensor on the rim that sends an electrical signal back to the engine compartment? And how would that be wired? Or is it wireless?

[Bob Turkovich]

What is the plumbing for a Tire Pressure Monitoring System like? Is there some sort of air hose that is actually connected to the inside of the tire? Or is there a sensor on the rim that sends an electrical signal back to the engine compartment? And how would that be wired? Or is it wireless?

Stephen,

Google "Tire Pressure Monitoring System" and click on the Wikipedia link. Lots of different ways to do it.

Wasn't my area of expertise, but I didn't know there were aftermarket versions of these available. Never been too keen on aftermarket add-ons since they rarely do the amount of testing (usually because they do not have the test facilities) as the OEM's do.

[David Weaver]

I've changed to spares twice in the last 10 years. I'll gladly have them in the car and pay for them.

If I got a car like that and they wanted $349 for a spare, though, I would write an extremely nasty letter to the company, and go buy a wheel and tire from a yard.

[Dave Lehnert]

First I made a correction in my first post. The spare from parts Dept is $249 not $349 I first posted

Yes, Have the window sticker. It clearly says "Tire Sealant & inflator kit in place of spare. then again under options it says Spare tire and wheel not desired.

I was with her when looking at cars. What happened was we looked at all the cars they had on the lot. She had a color and heated seats she wanted and no moon roof. We test drove a like car then went in to order what we wanted. A little later the sales manager drove around a new 2010 he had just received from a closing dealer exactly what she wanted but did have a moon roof. He was able to give her a very good deal because it was a 2010 so she pulled the trigger. I did not read the sticker on that model. Only gave it a quick going over to make sure it was a 2LT

I did ask a local tire dealer last time I purchased tires if it was a problem to use Fix-A-Flat. He said no, use it if needed. Did make it more difficult to patch but nothing they could could not handle.

She, and I, love the car. It is one sweet ride. Just kinda gets under your skin this sort of thing.

The law required the TPMS on all new cars starting in 2007.

On both my Ranger and my wife's Liberty we paid additional for a full-sized spare that's mounted on the same styled wheel to match, but that's fairly commom on 4 wheel drives. I'm glad this "no spare" thing was shared, I'd
be more than annoyed if it didn't have one on a new car that I just paid over 20,000 for.

Dave,

Does your Mom still have the window sticker? I'd love to see what that says about it, if anything.

[Rick Potter]

My daughter was on vacation pulling her 19' trailer with a Chevy Blazer, and she had a flat on the trailer. No problem, because I had outfitted the trailer with a spare (optional).

Oh, oh. There were TWO flats on the trailer, the first went flat, and the extra weight on the other one on that side caused it to blow out too. Sometimes it doesn't pay to try to be prepared.

BTW, this happened on a busy interstate, just outside Boston. Hardly any shoulder to the road, raining hard, 5:00 rush hour, two little girls in the car, and getting dark. Called auto club, and they said they DID NOT SERVICE THAT AREA, and gave us phone numbers of tire stores. All were out of business or closed at 5. One place we called took pity on her and called a guy they knew with a tow truck who graciously brought us back two new tires and one wheel to replace the one that bent in the blow out. Thanks for nothin' AAA....she had bought the special RV coverage for this trip.

Rick Potter

[Mike Cutler]

What is the plumbing for a Tire Pressure Monitoring System like? Is there some sort of air hose that is actually connected to the inside of the tire? Or is there a sensor on the rim that sends an electrical signal back to the engine compartment? And how would that be wired? Or is it wireless?

Stephen

Following the Ford/Firestone fiasco TPMS systems were mandated for new cars. At least that's the popular explanation. They were already in use in Euope and Japan, so I think it was only a matter of time before they would have been on all vehicles regardless ofthe Ford/Firestone issue.
The first systems sensed the height of the tire, and another measured the rotation of the tire. The more advanced measured actual tire pressure.
1/2 way through the 2007 year it became mandated that all vehicles had to have direct pressure monitoring systems, so there are a few different systems out there.
The pressure sensing device is mounted inside the rim and the signal is transmitted wirelessely. The valve stem is the transmitter antenna.
Some cars just indicate a flat or low pressure requiring you to measure each tire to find the one low on pressure, some are more advanced and indicate which tire is low on pressure.

Here is the rub though. Not all "Fix-A-Flat" type products are safe to use with a TPMS system utilizing the valve stem as the transmitter,and will actually ruin the antenna, thus requiring replacement. This can add $30-$50.00 to the cost of tire replacement.
Another issue is that not all tire centers are equipped to deal with the TPMS sensors and run flats, if used, so you have to make sure prior to having them do work. I'm certain that this gap will be closed very quickly though.

I'll take Bob's word for it that CAFE requirements have a big part in it. The cynic in me believes it's purely profit based.

I like the TPMS system.

[Dan Hintz]

Mike,

I don't think it's the antenna so much as the air port that the fix-a-flat gunks up...

[Lee Schierer]

Maybe I'm luckier than the average woodworker when it comes to tires, but I can remember the last time I needed to use a spare tire on any of my vehicles. It was on my 2005 Mazda 6 about a month after we bought it we hit a nail or piece of metal on the road and it cut the sidewall of the tire. That was over 5 years and 66,000 miles ago. On my other vehicles I have never used the spare and the car I owned previous to the Mazda 6 we put on 120K miles and the spare had never been out of the trunk. Since I purchased my first car over 40 years ago, I can only recall using the spare maybe 2 or 3 times.

[Jeff Monson]

With tire psi monitor systems nowdays, there are alot more tires getting repaired before they are driven on and ruined, thus the need for a spare should be greatly reduced. Obviously there is still the case of road hazards, and that is where a spare is needed. I can say I'm in the lucky category also, my spares rarely get used.

I have had 2 tire repairs this summer though, with larger diameter wheels and lower profile tires, its hard to tell if a tire is low on air. Thats where the monitors are really nice.

I would agree the vast majority of people out there today could not change a spare if they had to...but still no reason to delete it from a new vehicle. All my vehicles have spares, trailers too, wouldnt be caught without one anymore.

[Chris Padilla]

Thanks for nothin' AAA....she had bought the special RV coverage for this trip.

Rick Potter

AAA upset me quite a bit a few years ago. It wasn't in regard to their road service but more of a customer service thing regarding traveler's checks when I visited my local branch. That was one year of wasted dues...but it remained only 1 year.

My car's clutch died several weeks ago while my wife was driving but she was close to home (< 1 mile). So I call my insurance company to get assistance with a tow to my mechanic. "Sorry, Sir, we don't provide a list of references because due to the liability blah blah blah...." I didn't hear him much after the word liability was completed because I was instantly upset. I wonder if I was stuck out in the middle of a desert somewhere that they wouldn't help me get a lousy tow truck. Gee, am I supposed to make sure I have towing companies with me wherever I go? I wrote my insurance company a letter about that one and I seriously doubt they'll get my money come renewal time....

[Marty Paulus]

Stephen

Following the Ford/Firestone fiasco TPMS systems were mandated for new cars. At least that's the popular explanation. They were already in use in Euope and Japan, so I think it was only a matter of time before they would have been on all vehicles regardless ofthe Ford/Firestone issue.
The first systems sensed the height of the tire, and another measured the rotation of the tire. The more advanced measured actual tire pressure.
1/2 way through the 2007 year it became mandated that all vehicles had to have direct pressure monitoring systems, so there are a few different systems out there.
The pressure sensing device is mounted inside the rim and the signal is transmitted wirelessely. The valve stem is the transmitter antenna.
Some cars just indicate a flat or low pressure requiring you to measure each tire to find the one low on pressure, some are more advanced and indicate which tire is low on pressure.

Here is the rub though. Not all "Fix-A-Flat" type products are safe to use with a TPMS system utilizing the valve stem as the transmitter,and will actually ruin the antenna, thus requiring replacement. This can add $30-$50.00 to the cost of tire replacement.
Another issue is that not all tire centers are equipped to deal with the TPMS sensors and run flats, if used, so you have to make sure prior to having them do work. I'm certain that this gap will be closed very quickly though.

I'll take Bob's word for it that CAFE requirements have a big part in it. The cynic in me believes it's purely profit based.

I like the TPMS system.

CAFE has a lot to do with it. If some of you will check in your newer vehicles I am sure your power outlet shuts off with the ignition as well. I was told this little feature is for fuel economy as well. It is all about how many MPG you can squeeze out of the vehicle. The mass of the vehicle is critical and yes that spare (even the doughnut good for 50 miles POS spare) is subject to mass reductions in vehicles. 0.1 MPG may be the difference in one vehicle saying they get better milage then the other. It sad but true.

[Colin Giersberg]

Even if you do have a spare in your vehicle, do you know that it still is fully inflated. I was driving my wife's car in a town a couple of years ago and we had a flat by running over a crescent wrench. After pulling over at a service station to change the tire, I found out that the spare tire had low pressure. I pulled over to an air pump, paid my quarter, and tried to inflate the tire. I actually inflated the air pump, because it was very weak, and the low pressure got even lower in the tire. I then went to another service station, and managed to get a little more air in it. When I got home, I fired up my compressor and finished inflating the tire.Better check those spares for air, or it will do you no good.Regards, Colin

[Callan Campbell]

BMW has been doing this for years. They and others practically started the air compressor and fix-a-flat trend hiding in your trunk, then moved onto run-flat tires when that didn't go over so well. All the electronics in vehicle take up room, and the spare tire and jack cost money, so it's been a slippery slope to "write" off putting them in vehicles. The car company I work for still has either full size spares or almost full size temporary's. But, this could change in a model year/drop of the hat.
Insurance companies hate the spares mounted on the rear of a vehicle, thieves love the low mounted spare tires under a vehicle, and car companies just seem to want to cut them from the build list. Meanwhile, we're the ones stuck with no spares, or a very expensive run-flat tire that's usually not in stock like a regular tire.

[Tom Godley]

I have had a few cars over the years that came w/o spares and a few that had blow up spares that were worthless. Some cars don't have the room to cary an extra tire in the size installed -- in addition all the electronics and awd systems go crazy in many vehicles if you install a tire that is smaller - like a donut. I have taken trips in cars set up this way and you do think about the possibilities.


As someone who deals with catastrophic injuries -- I have a rule at home and my office. No changing a tire on the side of a road. I don't care what happens to the tire or rim - everyone is told to get themselves off the highway.

I always cringe when I see people on the side of the road changing a tire.