Z4 2008 TirePressMonitorSystem TPMS Location

Having trouble locating the actual location of TPMSystem thingy...getting conflicting info on it and wondering if it is on wheel INside tire...or at the stem. Reason: will the BMW Mobility kit "goo" interefer with the sensor when used....SLILME says theirs is water based and does not affect it...but little valve stem has to be removed before inflating with the stuff. BMW appears to be able to add it without removal of valve. I am suspecting then that the sensor is not in stem area, and wondering if anyone has used the BMW kit in actual experience and or another product and what results you have had...thanks all..or anyone for that matter...

Sorry...its not an M car [which comes with kit etc and would suspect it should not interfer etc or there would be loooots of complaints] ..but this is a 2008 Z4 3.0 SI--contemplating getting non RFT's and am curious on the GOO kit to get...thanks anyone....

Doesn't work that way. The monitoring system measures differences in rotation speed of each wheel. Or is that old school "2006" technology?

Goodness, I sure don't know for sure...and have not been able to get a real complete answer on these 06-08 era Z4's and ours is a 2008. As said, cannot imagine BMW sanctioning something that does not work, [yeah, I know, I know, BMW may not be final answer, but they have a kit that gets the M guys going etc.] Had Z3 before this and of course no issue. I'm up on all the debates etc, ad nauseum on pro/con of RFT's--etc benefits and bane.

I am wondering about the best "goo", best kit for results and least later follow up problems etc, AND if anyone has used one and what their experience was...

yeah, you're looking for the M Mobility Kit which you can of course buy at a dealer.
It should be OK for you....
I thought for some reason there were perhaps mandates for model year cars in 2008 for tire pressure monitoring systems. Perhaps that change will only come in the new gen 2010 z4, and the 2006-2008 line is 'as is' -- and as I indicated, the monitoring is of variances in wheel rotation speed which it calculates to indicate a low or flat tire....



I'm no expert

Hear you on that the expert issue--nor am I on this one. In all of the posts, threads, and I have searched in several forums here and in UK...and have heard all the RFT issues etc, I suspect when I make the break from the RFT's, I will head to the BMW kit. At very least, if there was an issue, no one can claim it was not the one they recco'd. For diff in price, its probably fine, tho one could save maybe 50-60$ on another brand etc. I kind of like the idea of the little jack [operative word, little] in the kit, tho have heard they are not that sturdy. BUT to get back on road, and get to a decent tire shop would be all that one need.

And goodnight, that little logo on the bag has got to mean a lot at the side of the road somewhere in Southovershoe, Missouri on a wine run. I am sure all the locals would know this is a quality guy coming in to their shop...thanks for inputs.

If anyone out there has used this kit or ANY other, and has some roadside experience, chime in.

The '07 and on (maybe started earlier) use a pressure monitoring system in the tire as part of the valve stem, not wheel rotation, to monitor tire pressure.

Then I take it that the goo going in that would foul the TPSM merely needs to be cleaned, which is probably a pain..but just cleaned and its functional again?

I seem to remember from some ad on the Bim kit [its been a week or so since reading it] does not require the removal of the "valve stem" to insert this stuff. Others do, and I am thinking on a dusky evening, possibly in the rain, etc, that ANYthing that makes this old man's attempt at getting back on road, [ala, no valve removal to inflate etc] would be worth it all. Just hate to have the TPSM ruined...

I really don't know what the end result would be of using the Goo. From what I've been able to find out about the unit in the tire, it would seem that the Goo would indeed have to go through the sensor.

I take it that the M with the non-runflat tires and Mobility System does not have a pressure monitoring system or relies on the old rotation differential to monitor tire pressure. How do the late model Ms ('07 and later) monitor tire pressure?

Does anyone know if there is any sort of disclaimer on the Mobility System about using it on tires with the in-tire sensor?

Great question--thanks...it would seem like the 06-08's might be same due to facelift, but then the M's just might have a whole different system in there, via rotation etc. The issue will not stop me from getting nonRFT's--but just would like to know what a fellow is up against or has to deal with. SLIME product says its watersoluable, and no problem as I think I mentioned earlier--canNOT imagine that Bim would ask us to use it and have a warning on the side re:fouling. BUT then THATs not impossible either...LOL...

Anyone else?? help us out here>?>

Well for what it is worth--happen to chat with a sales rep at Bim, who was former tech and went into sales, [and is enjoying that side of it]. He confirmed that the 06-08's M's and non M as ours, the 3.0si has TPSM in the stem. He said that any kit would work, but he actually liked the Bim kit, because it did not require the valve stem to be taken out, and the system "works." He also confirmed that when the tire is repaired that the stem does need a thorough cleaning, but he has not personally seen any fouled to non-use. He's a Z driver and fanatic himself, so this happenchance talk seems to have brought some closure for now.

Appreciate that update for sure. Have not bit bullet yet, as weather so goof here will wait till spring. BUT have settled on the tire, and the kit issue. Will go with the mobility kit from BMW and woosh the stuff thru the stem--maybe sweet talk the guy wherever into the cleaning process...hey if I am stucj in SouthOvershoo, Wisconsin, then I can walk down the street and pick up a pizza or a six pack to calm the waters. Amazing what being nice to the service people will get you. Thanks for confirmation on compatability issues--

Tire Pressure Sensor

After having a Miata with Run Flats, when you experience a flat tire whether or not you use the inflator goo, they replace the TPS. I am pretty certain that it is the same with the BMW.

I noticed that the tire caps on current BMW's are different then the metal ones I have on my 2006. I believe the 2006 TPMS is read through the DSC computer and checks the rotation of the tire compared to the others. I did get a TPMS indicator light one time when I picked up a nail but have never been able to get the system to duplicate the indicator even when letting all the air out of one of the tires. I wonder if there is any other way to check if the system is operational.

Tire Pressure Sensor

I just bought the Mobility kit for my 2006 Z. My last car also had RTF's and after experiencing a flat, the kit that was standard with that car came in very helpful. Once you experience a flat which BTW can not be repaired and has to be replaced, they replaced the TPS. I was told that if you use the goo or not they have to replace the TPS. The kit was $141 with the CCA discount which was not cheap, but does give me a little piece of mind.

Yes, I have an '06 M and that is the way it measures: slight differences in rotation speed are calculated.
You probably already know this part --- Every once in a while you should balance the air in all 4 tires and 'initialize the system'/ reset the monitor (hold the dash button until the yellow light comes on, and then drive off, preferably in a straight line while it 'recalibrates')

About the newer flat tire monitor system --- I read somewhere that the '07 models and on cannot have the metal (BMW, M logo, or other) caps because it messes up the flat tire monitor signal.
By the way, how do the monitors inside the tire work? Are they battery powered (lithium?) ?

TPS on Z4

I have a 2007 3.0i and yes, it does have monitors. I found this out that hard way, when I had my snow tires from my previous z4 mounted, and got the low tire alarm, and couldn't reset it. A discussion with my local BMW parts guy uncovered the fact that yes, they are mounted to the bottom side of the tire stem - not sure if the stem is part of them or not. I can retrofit my snows (mounted on steel wheels), but the price was going to be steep - I have forgotten how much now, as it was 2 years ago, but the price included having to remount the tires, and then balance them again. As I understand it, this was a government mandate to have the sensors in each wheel.

Unfortunately, I can't be of much help with the Goo part of this thread - I have not tried to use it.

At the risk of starting a new round in the battle, I have had a tire puncture in both cars, and have been very pleased with the performance of the run flats. In both cases, the tires were almost brand new, and had to be replaced - on my first Z4, the nail I picked up was in the shoulder of the tire, and no tire store I went to would fix it because of the location - liability insurance was the stated reason, also I got that it was illegal in my state (CT) to fix any puncture in the shoulder of the tire. The second was a sheet metal screw in the center of the tread - to big to patch or use goo on. In both cases, I ordered a new tire from The Tire Rack, and had it on my porch within 48 hours. There were plenty of local shops willing to mount it for me for just a standard mounting charge.

Jerry

Just talked to a BMW parts guy today and asked about the TPMS. I have a 2006 Z4. He told me 2006 used the rotational speed monitoring and the sensors were outside the tire. Also said the "inside tire" sensors have metal valve stems instead of rubber. Don't know if he is 100% correct but wanted to pass on the information.